IN UNCHARTED T E R R I T O R Y, T R U S T A P R O V E N P E R F O R M E R. CITATION LATITUDE: The Best-Selling Midsize Jet Four Years in a Row. In times of challenge, stay on course for your business objectives. With a stand-up cabin and stand-out features to make your journey more comfortable and efficient, the CITATION LATITUDE jet is the world’s best-selling midsize jet four years running for a reason. It’s your surest route from today to tomorrow.
A SOLUTION FOR EVERY SKY.
txtav.com/latitude
© 2020 Textron Aviation Inc. All rights reserved.
INTRODUCING THE 438 EVOLUTION For nearly 40 years Intrepid has led the way, with innovation often imitated, but never equaled. Now comes the 438 Evolution. Step aboard and you’ll take the helm of a high-performance vessel with the state-of-theart amenities of a luxury yacht. Step below and you’ll discover the world-class overnight accommodations of a cabin perfectly suited for extended travel. Step up to the 438 Evolution and you’ll enjoy owning a sport yacht customized to fulfill your vision of the ultimate boating experience. To get started on yours, contact us today.
ONE OF A KI ND. ONE AT A TI M E . IntrepidPowerboats.com | 954-922-7544
AUTHENTIC.
There’s a level of authenticity here at NICHOLAS AIR. No identity crisis, no changing business plans every six months, no massive marketing push touting a pending IPO, and no relying on another’s brand to help build ours. Step onboard a NICHOLAS AIR jet and you will immediately feel the difference. It’s about the cleanliness of the interior, the layout, and the careful way the cabin is appointed with your safety and comfort in mind. This does not happen by chance, but rather is the result of careful planning and a full team committed to flying the industry’s youngest fleet, all Owned and Operated by NICHOLAS AIR. We’ve kept private travel simple— skipping the 30 page contracts and spending more time doing what you wanted- enjoying the best of private aviation experiences. After 24 years, our mission is still the same: provide The Most Refined Set of Private Flyers with the best aircraft the industry has to offer. Our Members come to us because they want authenticity and reliability, and time and time again, they find it at NICHOLAS AIR.
QUALITY MATTERS New aircraft, new interiors, and all carefully detailed prior to each flight.
CONSISTENCY MATTERS Know your aircraft, know your crew, and know you’re stepping onboard the best in the industry.
STABILITY MATTERS Financially secure with over two decades of providing world class service. Organically grown, Privately Owned and Operated company with the industry’s longest tenured Founder/CEO at the helm.
NicholasAir.com | 866.935.7771 | #NicholasAir All aircraft are owned and operated by NICHOLAS AIR . NICHOLAS AIR and INNOVATIVE PRIVATE AIR TRAVEL® are registered trademarks ®2021 NICHOLAS AIR. All rights reserved.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE IT. It’s your home away from home, wherever you park it. 450 square feet of unmitigated luxury, built on a world-class Prevost H3-45 bus platform, from the company that’s been synonymous with elite ground travel since 1972. Liberty Coach 2022. Now writing custom orders for winter delivery; pre-owned coaches also available. LIBERTYCOACH.COM/JETSET/ | 866-314-0972 | INFO@LIBERTYCOACH.COM
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Volume 61 . Issue 2 . 2021 . JetsetMag.com
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24 18 what’s new
38 Taste
24 charter
42 speed
30 travel
50 explore
Trending - A Guide to Everything That Should Be On Your Radar Right Now
Private Air Travel What Investment is Right for You?
Celebrating New Trends in Travel The Most Uplifting, Upbeat Resorts to Beat the Blues 14
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The Royal Treatment Experience Wine The VIP Way at Chateau Montelena
Dream Machines Your Guide to Taking Charge of the Streets
Travel is Trending for a Brave New World Dream Itineraries to Suit Your Style
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56 industry
70 feature
58 estates
74 inspire
64 finance
80 film
Amplify the Differentiation Remaining Relevant in the Face of Rising Competition
Lessons Learned What Makes 2021’s Real Estate Market Different
“I’m Just a Very Bad Wizard” A Fantasy Story Comes to Life
Our Man of Summer The Unbearable Lightness of Being Jon Hamm
Make Your Life Your Masterpiece Begin by Defining What Inspires You
Finding Fellove El Gran Fellove Illuminates a Lost Legend Issue 2 . 2021 |
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I
n Issue 2 of 2021, we’d like to welcome you to the future of luxury—an industry that always takes an initial hit when disaster strikes (in this case the pandemic). But as we have seen in the past, it will rebound more strongly than ever. As we’ve been sequestered in our homes on and off over the past year, the luxury industry has been hard at work crafting automobiles fit for kings, customizing unique travel itineraries, curating bespoke resort packages, and tailoring the finest textiles. In our annual Luxury Auto Preview, we showcase a few of our favorite “Dream Machines” including the new Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series that set a new production car lap record at Germany’s famed Nürburgring. No luxury automotive list would be complete without including an Italian marquee like the all-new Maserati MC20. And, for the zealous collector, we can’t think of a better offering than the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut. In ‘Bold Adventures,’ we highlight extreme and extravagant experiences, from the tropical retreat of the Layan Residences by Anantara in Phuket to the adults-only woodland luxury hideaway in Montana, the green o. Similarly, in ‘Celebrating New Trends in Travel,’ we take you to the most uplifting world-class resorts in this portfolio of trendsetting hotels. Read about The Private Residence at Velaa Private Island, Maldives, the Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, Mexico, the Hotel Castello di Reschio, Italy, Ithaafushi - The Private Island - Waldorf Astoria, and more. As interest in private air travel continues to grow, we share an article that serves as a blueprint for determining the type of jet program that will best suit your individual needs, lifestyle, and budget because private aviation is not one-size-fits-all. Our Executive Editorial team share a few meaningful reads that inspire growth and opportunity. Dr. John Demartini offers insight on how to leave mediocracy behind and make your life your masterpiece. Barry LaBov offers tips on how to remain relevant in the face of rising competition in Amplify the Differentiation. Ken McElroy explains the state of the 2021 real estate market and predicts a dip in housing prices. For our cover feature on Jon Hamm, Si Si Penaloza takes us on a journey through his rise in Hollywood, and she reveals the anticipated blockbuster we’ve all been waiting patiently for. Hint: I feel the need, the need for speed. It’s time to take charge of your future. Get on the road, in the air, and on the sea. There is so much opportunity out there waiting, we simply have to go after it. Sincerely,
Darrin Austin CEO/Publisher, Jetset Magazine
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CORPORATE CEO/PUBLISHER CFO Executive Vice President Creative Director Editor-in-Chief VP of Business Development Executive Assistant/Office Manager Executive Administrator
DARRIN AUSTIN PATRICIA JOHNSON PAUL BARDEN TOBY THOMPSON TAMI AUSTIN GREG FAHLMAN THERESA JONES CHRISTINA MORENO
MARKETING National Account Executives
JASPER BARLOW TONIE ELLIS ROSS FENTON MIRABELLE FERNANDEZ STELLA KITCHNER-LANDERS SI SI PENALOZA LIZ RAWSON DAN SHARPE MICHAEL SKJAERRIS JIM TOLLESON MICHAEL VERIS SCOTT WICK DAVID WILLIAMS
EXECUTIVE EDITORS COLIN COWIE DR. JOHN DEMARTINI TARA HITCHCOCK DAYMOND JOHN ROBERT KIYOSAKI BARRY LABOV KEN McELROY LOU RAIOLA
EDITORS
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DAVID HARALDSEN SI SI PENALOZA KAREN BROST SOPHIA CARLISLE KYLE GOLDMAN ALAN LOBOCK ERIC PETERSEN ANNE-MARIE PRITCHETT ADISYN RICHARDS OLIVIA SCOTT DOUG SINGER FADI Y SITTO
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Takeoff // What’s New
TRENDING TECH DESIGN: Estelon Loudspeakers Since 2010, Estelon has been providing the most luxurious loudspeakers to those who truly appreciate acoustic excellence. The brilliance of Estelon’s sound reproduction systems is achieved by combining sophisticated engineering with high-quality components. This level of excellence is a goal attempted by many but achieved by only a select few–a fact that inspired Estelon Founder and Chief Designer Alfred Vassilkov to create the Estelon Extreme Limited Edition. Standing at two meters (6’5”) in height and capable of being adjusted to the exact dimensions of its environment, the Extreme Limited Edition combines sculptural elegance with quality and authenticity of performance that are second to none. This exceptional speaker system is produced in strictly limited numbers. Estelon.com
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TRENDING AIR TAXI:
The Seraph by Vertical Aerospace With the ability to carry up to 551 lbs of payload, the 12-rotor Seraph is Britain’s leading electric VTOL air taxi candidate. Built to test new technologies for the company’s passenger model, The Seraph features a specialized passive cooling system and customizable design, meaning the aircraft can be scaled up or down, and fitted with wheels or floats to facilitate water landings. Vertical-aerospace.com
TRENDING COLLAB:
TRENDING ACCESSORY:
Bell & Ross x Bollinger Motors
Louis Vuitton Soft Trunk Bag
When two men who are passionate about detail—Bruno Belamich, creative director and co-founder of aviation watchmaker Bell & Ross and Robert Bollinger, CEO of electric vehicle innovator Bollinger Motors—share a vision, the results are extraordinary. The Bollinger B1 electric off-road vehicle is to automotive design what the Bell & Ross BR 03 timepiece is to watchmaking: Objects meticulously designed by engineers for extreme thrill-seekers. Bollingermotors.com
This bag looks delicious on Instagram. The soft-style equivalent to Louis Vuitton‘s hard travel trunks, but in messenger bag form. The LV Soft Trunk bares the ethos of the fashion house’s Artistic Director Virgil Abloh, touching on the DNA of Nicolas Ghesquière. The 10 new iterations are downright juicy, some of the standouts: Monogram canvas, Monogramembroidered see-through mesh, Taiga leather, premium crocodile skin. Louisvuitton.com
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Takeoff // What’s New TRENDING DESIGN: The Bowlus Terra Firma Camper A 26‘ luxury travel trailer that can accommodate sleeping and dining for four, the Bowlus TerraFirma creates a totally immersive experience. It enables adventurers to seek the simplicity and solitude of going off the grid to enjoy the thrill of exploration. This towable trailer is equipped with filtration systems for both water and air, GPS tracking for an added level of security and peace of mind and an integrated Bluetooth brake controller for highly-responsive, smooth braking of the tow vehicle. This camper is pet-friendly, too, and the master bedroom is positively Zen. Bowlus.com
TRENDING ATTRACTION:
The Whale in Andenes, Norway When Danish studio Dorte Mandrup won an international competition to design a viewpoint for whale watching, they clinched it by inspiring learning of both whales and their environment with their unifying concept. The unveiled visuals resemble a massive rock outcrop within the Arctic Circle, blending in with the coastal landscape of Andenes, one of the world’s best spots to observe whales. With panoramic views from its giant curving roof, The Whale is intended to appear as though a giant has lifted up the earth’s crust. An exhibition space, a cafe and shop will also feature in the new facility. Dortemandrup.dk 20
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FLYING, PERSONALIZED. Access the world’s largest private jet marketplace, powered by Wheels Up.
Download. Search. Book. Fly. The easiest way to fly private.
Wheels Up Partners LLC (“Wheels Up”) does not operate aircraft; U.S. FAA-licensed and DOT-registered air carriers participating in the program, including certain carriers affiliated with Wheels Up through common ownership, exercise full operational control of all flights offered by or arranged through Wheels Up. For on-demand flights and shuttle flights operated as scheduled service, Wheels Up acts solely as an agent for Wheels Up members and guests in arranging these flights on their behalf. For shuttle flights operated as Public Charter service, Wheels Up acts as principal in offering these flights subject to the DOT’s Public Charter rules contained in 14 CFR Part 380. All aircraft owned or leased by Wheels Up are leased to an affiliated air carrier and are operated exclusively by that carrier.
Takeoff // What’s New
TRENDING AVIATION: The New AS3 Supersonic Commercial Aircraft Imagine boarding a commercial aircraft in L.A. and arriving in Tokyo less than three hours later. That’s the vision that Aerion, a leader in supersonic and high Mach flight, has for its Aerion AS3 Mach 4+ commercial airliner. This revolutionary aircraft is being designed to transport up to 50 passengers at a range of 7,000 nautical miles and is targeted to take to the skies before the end of the decade. Aerion is partnering with NASA’s Langley Research Center to accelerate the realization of commercial high-speed flight in the Mach 3-5 range. Aerionsupersonic.com
TRENDING TIMEPIECE: Lamborghini Huracán STO + the Excalibur Spider Huracán STO Timepiece Created with a singular purpose, the Lamborghini Huracán STO delivers all the feel and technology of a genuine race car in a road-legal model offering extreme aerodynamics, track-honed handling and the highest-performing V10 engine to date. Inspired by this super-sports car, Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Roger Dubuis partnered with Lamborghini for a second time to create the Excalibur Spider Huracán STO timepiece. It features a 12° angle balance escapement with an automatic winding mechanism displaying a rimlike rotor. The upper caliber includes a bridge design influenced by the strut bars of the car that inspired this stunning timepiece. Rogerdubuis.com
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Safe. Simple. Unlimited hours.*
We make it easy to fly private. Flying private shouldn’t be complicated. That’s why we offer simple, easy-to-understand options tailored to your needs. We don’t limit your hours so fly as much as you want. Get where you need to go when you need to go—and enjoy greater cost efficiency, safety, and peace of mind.
AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT
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FRACTIONAL SHARES
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EMBARK JET CARD
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CHARTER SERVICES
* Based on customer’s allocation of days with a maximum 14-hour crew duty day. Flights operated by Executive Flight Services, LLC Air Carrier Certificate #E07A355K
Takeoff // Charter
By James D. Butler, Shaircraft Solutions LLC
i
n the past, demand for private air travel was largely driven by the dreary experience of flying with commercial airlines. By contrast, private aviation offers frustrated flyers greater convenience, time savings, security, and many other "quality of life" benefits. In the current pandemic, however, health and welfare have risen to the top of this list of benefits, spawning what can only be described as an avalanche of interest in private air travel.
But the choice of private air travel leads to a further question: What type of private air travel investment is right for you? Fractional ownership? A jet card program? Or perhaps on demand charter may be your best bet? It is important to keep in mind that private aviation is not one-size-fits-all. The solution that worked for your friend or colleague is not necessarily going to be right for you. (Nor is the one being touted by a sales rep trying to meet a quota.) When discussing private air travel options with clients, we begin by asking several important questions, among them: 24
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• • • • • • • • •
What is your budget? How often do you fly? Where and when do you fly? How far in advance do you plan your trips? How many passengers and how much luggage do you take? Do you prefer to fly on a fleet managed by a single operator? Do you have specific aircraft preferences? What is the best use of your capital? Can you take advantage of depreciation tax deductions?
Your responses to these and other questions serve as a blueprint for determining the type of jet program that will best suit your individual needs, lifestyle, and budget. The general rule of thumb that passes for common wisdom is that if you fly between 50 and 400 hours per year, your best option may be fractional ownership, which involves owning a share of an aircraft that a single operator manages as part of a fleet. If you fly less than 50 hours per year, you may be better off with a jet card or "pay as you go" charter, and if you fly more than 400 hours annually, you may consider buying a whole aircraft. However, these "rules" are only the starting point for our analysis.
ULTRA TALL. ULTRA WIDE. EVERY INCH A FALCON.
Get ready to experience the tallest and widest cabin in business aviation. The Falcon 6X has a 5,500 nm (10,186 km) range and a top speed of Mach .90. And like all Falcons, it performs with utmost efficiency even at challenging airports. Falcon 6X. The roomiest, most productive 5,500 nm you’ll ever experience.
WWW.FALCON6X.COM l FRANCE: +33 1 47 11 88 68 l USA: +1 201 541 4600
Takeoff // Charter
In addition to flying at least 50 hours per year (the minimum size of most fractional shares), other factors that militate in favor of fractional ownership are: • You fly predominantly within the fractional program's primary service area (so that you won't routinely incur extra charges for your preferred trips.)
• You don't fly predominantly on high usage travel days like major holidays (when your flight can be delayed and you're more likely to fly on a charter aircraft because all the fleet aircraft are in use.)
• Most of your flights will be one hour or more (because the fractionals charge a minimum of one hour, even if your flight is shorter.) • You expect your flying to be fairly constant over the next several years (because if you misjudge how much you fly, you may buy too many hours that likely will be wasted or, if you buy too few hours, you'll have to supplement later with another investment.)
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• There is an aircraft model in the fractional fleet that suits your needs (because you're not going to be happy if your aircraft can't make your favorite trip without a fuel stop, can't hold your ski equipment or golf gear, and can't land at the closest airport.)
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“YOUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO PURCHASE MAXIMUM FLIGHT TIME ON AIRCRAFT THAT BEST FIT YOUR NEEDS FROM RELIABLE AND FINANCIALLY STABLE COMPANIES AT A MINIMUM COST.” ........................................................................... • You are prepared to make a fairly substantial capital investment (because you're buying a share in an actual aircraft.)
If your travel profile and investment preferences satisfy these and certain other criteria, fractional ownership may be the way to go. If, however, you like the idea of flying on a well-managed fleet of aircraft, but you fly less than 50 hours per year, or you prefer to conserve your capital, and are willing to pay a higher hourly rate to avoid a long term commitment, a jet card offered through a fractional program may better suit your needs. To be sure, fractional jet card programs charge hourly rates that are significantly higher than those of established charter operators. Indeed, you should consider that this may be the most expensive way to fly privately. If your profile otherwise fits within the parameters for a fractional jet card, but you're amenable to flying through a network of charter operators that have been approved by a reputable safety rating service like ARG/US or Wyvern, you may realize some cost savings by utilizing a
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Takeoff // Charter charter jet card service. These services generally do not own or operate aircraft. Rather, they make arrangements with independent operators to service your flights. You have a limited right to specify the type and vintage of the aircraft on which you'll fly, which may vary widely, but you should realize some cost savings over fractional jet card programs. If your travel profile and investment preferences don't vibe well with the fractional ownership model or jet card offerings—whether fractional or charter—you may want to look at traditional charter, which offers a "pay as you go" option with no commitment beyond each individual flight that you schedule. Charter can be a good option if your travel profile looks like this: • You fly roundtrips on the same day (so that you minimize deadhead costs.) • You make travel plans well in advance (so that we can thoroughly investigate the market.)
• We can identify reputable and safe charter operators near your home base who fly aircraft that satisfy your needs and who have the aircraft inventory to deliver reliable service and availability when you need it. • Your usage may vary substantially over time, so that "pay as you go" charter is better for you than locking into a program with a "use it or lose it" commitment.
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As is often the case for our clients, you may find that there is not a simple match between your needs and the available options. In such cases, we may recommend a combination of investments that satisfies all your needs in the most cost-effective way. For example, you may fly mostly one hour flights for business but longer flights for family vacations. In that case, a fractional share in a light jet or a turboprop that provides depreciation deductions may service your business needs, while a charter jet card program utilizing a mid-size jet may be the way to go for your family ski trip to Aspen and your trip with your golfing buddies to Florida. Your goal should be to purchase maximum flight time on aircraft that best fit your needs from reliable and financially stable companies at a minimum cost. Making the wrong choice can cost you hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. Making the right choice can free you from the flight delays, intrusive security, and horrendous service that characterizes the commercial airline experience in a way that does nothing less than change your life. Author James D. Butler is an attorney and CEO of Shaircraft Solutions – a Maryland based consulting firm advising individuals and businesses on investments in private air travel for over twenty years. A foremost private aviation authority, Mr. Butler has in-depth knowledge of the full spectrum of today's private aviation options, including fractional ownership, jet card programs, and charter, and also specializes in fractional share valuation disputes. Shaircraft's clients range from business executives and retirees to family offices and professional athletes. Mr. Butler can be reached directly at jbutler@shaircraft.com or (301) 652-9885.
Work with a view as a Global Citizen of the Cayman Islands. Apply now to enjoy the most exquisite balance of productivity and adventure for up to two years.
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Takeoff // Travel
The Most Uplifting Resorts to Beat the Blues by Si Si Penaloza
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orld-class indulgence meets a moveable feast of wonder in this portfolio of trendsetting hotels. Personalization and guest segmentation will continue to be a top priority in luxury travel. After spending so much time indoors due to lockdowns, travelers are craving wide-open spaces and the great outdoors. Nature is calling, and nature travel is expected to be one of the biggest 2021 travel trends.
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THE PRIVATE RESIDENCE AT VELAA PRIVATE ISLAND Maldives
With a new in-villa Hamman, private gym, an award-winning chef and the largest wine cellar in the Maldives, the Private Residence at Velaa Private Island sure is swinging for the fences on the ultra-luxe front. A veritable playground for the rich and famous, this palatial residence offers an array of amenities and perks fit for a holiday in utter luxury. This year the Nirolhu Private Residence unveiled its very own, brand new spa, including a steam room, cold pool and marble treatment bed. Guests of this next-level property may revel in a full Turkish bath and body massage ritual, all from within their quarters. At 14,250 square feet, the private residence boasts four enormous, ocean view bedrooms providing ample space for up to ten guests, making this the perfect base camp for a family reunion. Gastronomes are drawn here for the renown cuisine and the finest wine list in the Indian Ocean region. With three restaurants and two bars, Velaa Private Island offers a culinary journey which takes in a fusion of flavors and inspiration. By day, dive headfirst into the island’s world-class watersports facilities or take a ride in the resort’s private submarine. Golf aficionados delight in Velaa’s engaging “short-game” course and academy - designed by none other than two-time Masters Champion Jose Maria Olazábal. The course has been described as “training in paradise” by its Major-winning designer.
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Takeoff // Travel
PARADERO TODOS SANTOS Cabo San Lucas, MX
Clearly influenced by the success of Flora Farms, the cult hit wedding venue of Adam Levine and VS Angel Behati Prinsloo, Paradero prides itself on identifying as a landscape endeavor first and a hotel second. Set on a previously unused 5.5-acre plot within an agricultural village in Todos Santos, a stay here is all about exploring the five distinct ecosystems surrounding the 35-suite resort. The landscape’s sunbaked hues inspired the resort’s golden shades and desert tones, allowing the botanical palette in the gardens to take center stage: red sand verbena, Mojave yucca, and massive agave steal the show. Aside from great hiking and surfing, enjoy bountiful fishing expeditions, Baja-style cooking classes, as well as plans for self-guided running and biking adventures around the property’s farms and gardens. If you’re looking for an antidote to the all-inclusive, mega-resorts of Los Cabos, this is it. Courtesy of Paradero Todos Santos
FOUR SEASONS RESORT TAMARINDO
Jalisco, MX
Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo
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Debuting in 2021 as Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México, journey to a secluded enclave in the state of Jalisco, known as the “Joy Coast” for its acclaimed private beaches. The resort will be located on a natural reserve and a majority of the 155 rooms will boast exceptional panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. The contemporary architectural and interior design will blend with the natural surroundings and showcase local materials and textures. The Resort will offer four dining venues, including an ocean view restaurant, beach bar, and golf club restaurant. The grounds will also feature three pools, a fullservice spa set amid a tropical forest and fitness center, young adults center and lounge, water sports center, and tennis courts. The highly acclaimed 18-hole, par 72, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and David Fleming designed golf course will round out the amenities.
Courtesy of Hotel Castello di Reschio
Courtesy of Kruger Shalati
Courtesy of The Suiran, A Luxury Collection Hotel
KRUGER SHALATI
HOTEL CASTELLO DI RESCHIO
THE SUIRAN HOTEL
The Kruger Shalati Train on a Bridge debuts as a boutique hotel like no other, occupying a cleverly converted steam engine parked on the 300-meter-long Selati Bridge in South Africa’s Kruger Safari Park. Unless you have a crippling fear of exceedingly large amphibious reptiles, any contemporary design junkie will love this hotel. Perched high above a crocodile-infested Sabie River in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, the property offers just 31 luxury rooms reminiscent of a bygone era of exploration. The hotel design pays homage to the first travelers that journeyed to Kruger in the roaring 20s, when the train would park overnight where the Kruger Shalati now sits as a permanent tribute. Your wish, your whimsy; revel in cocktails on the terrace or slip into the dramatic overhanging pool. Accommodations are made up of 24 carriage rooms and seven luxury Bridge House rooms.
Looking for a slice of timeless Italy on your next holiday? Meet Castello di Reschio, a grand estate huddled amidst the rolling green hills of Umbria. Ripe for romantics and restless travelers, you’ll find centuriesold stone walls and towering Cypress trees at every turn. An intimate 36 rooms come courtesy of nine bespoke farmhouses dotted across a 1,500-hectare campus. Each one lovingly renovated, with heritage furniture complementing the original stone. It’s an enchanting hush that greets you every morning, interrupted only by the spinetingling sound of Andalusian horses far in the distance. Locally-inspired dishes at the Alle Scuderie restaurant are sure to tempt your senses; the kitchen team handcrafts pantry staples from scratch– including honey, olive oil, pasta, and wine. Should you feel the urge to work off all that creamy gnocchi, make the most of your private swimming pool.
Located in the scenic district of Arashiyama on the far western side of Kyoto, Suiran is a traditional hotel with 39 guest rooms. The new hotel certainly makes a sensational first impression; to get here, you’ll walk down a narrow cobbled riverside street alongside traditional boats, passing under a thatched gate into immaculately manicured Japanese gardens. This intimate setting allows you to experience authentic Kyoto hospitality for which the city is famous. Nestled on the Hozu River, the hotel is a sublime example of historic Kyoto architecture, while offering all the comforts a modern traveler’s desires. Don’t miss the hotel’s own Meiji-era style restaurant, Kyo-Suiran. The building in which it resides was originally constructed in 1899 and has an authentic indoor/ outdoor Japanese aesthetic.
The Train on the Bridge, South Africa
Perugia, Italy
Kyoto, Japan
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Takeoff // Travel
Courtesy of Ithaafushi - The Private Island
ITHAAFUSHI – THE PRIVATE ISLAND Maldives
If you’re looking for a sublime, no-expense-spared getaway for you and your extended family, Waldorf Astoria’s latest private island offering may be the answer. Waldorf already has a nearby $1,700-a-night resort in the Maldives, but if you require even more exclusivity, head to its latest Ithaafushi private island. The property spans 344,445 squarefeet, with accommodation for up to 24 guests across two villas and a four-bedroom home. The island may be surrounded by hypnotic aquatic atolls, but you can also opt to take a dip in one of the island’s five pools, which includes an almost 115-foot infinity pool. When it’s time to eat, the on-island culinary team whips up everything from citrus-spiked ceviche to classic comfort food. Guests may also hop on the courtesy speed boat to the main resort to dine at one of its 10 eateries. Planning a wedding in 2022? We can’t think of a more celebratory takeover venue to say “I do.”
KISAWA SANCTUARY Mozambique
Courtesy of Kisawa Sanctuary
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Fusing natural elements with leadingedge 3D printing technology, Kisawa Sanctuary, located on Mozambique’s Benguerra Island, is garnering much praise for exploring a new standard in sustainability. Situated among picturesque dunes overlooking the Indian Ocean, this luxury retreat is being touted for its environmentally conscious construction, which uses patented 3D technology to create natural building materials. An amalgamation of the island’s sand and seawater is the critical building block, providing a natural finish to the building facades. Stunningly, the mortar is also fed into the 3D printing machine to generate components for flooring, tiling, and masonry. On the regional front, the debut of this property has created over 1,000 jobs, sealing a kinship with Mozambique’s cultural and natural wonders. Local textiles and carpentry made by artisans from Benguerra take center stage in many common areas enjoyed by all guests.
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Takeoff // Travel
Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives
THE RITZ-CARLTON MALDIVES Fari Islands
Marriott International continues its global expansion with the opening of The RitzCarlton Maldives, Fari Islands in June 2021. Modern design compliments sea views and pristine beaches; humble local ingredients are elevated by skilled chefs and mixologists; healing is guided by directional energy work at the spa and nature is explored with respect and mindful wonder. The resort’s three islands and overwater quay serve as a base for discovering all the archipelago has to offer. The property features 100 villas, fringed by perfect white sand beaches. Minimalist architecture and a philosophy of wholeness respect the delicate Maldivian environment. A turquoise lagoon allows guests to revel in the circle of island life, connecting them with the environment and endless views to the horizon.
THE BLAKE AT TAOS SKI VALLEY Taos Ski Valley, NM
Courtesy of The Blake at Taos Ski Valley
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The Taos Air charter experience comes at the price of flying commercial, inclusive of shuttle service directly to Taos’s newest haute hotel, The Blake at Taos Ski Valley, along with complimentary ski and snowboard rentals for four days. When you have three kids in tow, this perk pretty much seals the deal. A stay at The Blake is a gateway to robust, physical vibrancy, the opportunity to live your best life in Taos. The first thing to note about uploading selfies here is that everyone will look up the geotag— this is truly a photogenic gem from every angle. The one-bedroom suites feel presidential, posh enough to cater to David Lauren and Lauren Bush. Taos Ski Valley became the first and only ski resort in the world to become a Certified B Corporation by thoroughly demonstrating its commitment to social, economic and environmental progress. Nestled among the pristine peaks of northern New Mexico, Taos Ski Valley is undergoing a $300 million renaissance making it one of North America’s premier vacation and adventure destinations.
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TAKING AQUATIC ENJOYMENT TO A HIGHER LEVEL SINCE 1996 1.800.951.spas (7727) 720.864.9115 fax 866.605.2358 diamondspas.com info@diamondspas.com Issue 2 . 2021 |
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henever you hear the words “California” and “wine,” chances are good the first thing that comes to mind is Napa. Napa is home to some of the finest wines in the world and is a favorite spot amongst travelers looking to sip on some tasty vino. However, Napa hasn’t always been on the wine world’s radar. In fact, it really gained its notoriety at the 1976 Judgement of Paris. This blind taste test took place, as you can probably guess by its name, in 1976 in Paris. And it is a taste test that completely changed the way people looked at wine. Some of the finest bottles of French wine were sat right next to California labels that no one had ever heard of. Everyone assumed that the French wines would win, hands down. After all, the French are notorious for their wines. What no one at the taste test knew, however, was that California had been producing some stellar wines under the radar. So imagine the surprise that hit the wine world when California reds and whites beat French wines in the competition. The white wine that won that unforgettable Judgement of Paris was the 1973 chardonnay from Chateau Montelena. And this is what put Napa on the map, and changed the world’s thoughts on wine forever.
“We rely on our roots to propel us forward in how we farm and our winemaking techniques, while also incorporating new practices, driven by experimentation and thorough research and development.”
Since this taste test, Napa has grown in its wine production and selection, but the famous Chateau Montelena has remained true to its roots and has continued to produce some of the top wines in the world. Sitting at the top of Napa Valley in Calistoga, the Chateau Montelena estate is home to grounds that will wow you just as much as the wine made there. Established in 1882, the estate features a stone castle built into a hillside, with sweeping vineyards that run all the way to the base of Mt. St. Helena. Sounds like something straight out of a movie, and feels like one too. Experience this incredible place first-hand with the Chateau’s new Concierge Program. This high-end wine tasting experience is entirely customizable so you can focus on the wines you want, and skip the ones you don’t. Your tasting as part of this program will be personalized to fit your preferences so that every Chateau Montelena wine you taste will become a new favorite. An added bonus of this program is that you will gain access to buy vintages that are not available to the public. Talk about exclusive. In addition to that, you’ll enjoy having a Montelena staff member guide you through the process so that you can get the ultimate personal tasting experience. montelena.com
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BY LESLIE K. HUGHES
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ith more time being spent at home, the idea of building a wine cellar in your home seems more realistic. And what better person to talk to about how to make this happen than a master winemaker. We had a chance to sit down with Matt Crafton, the Head Winemaker for the famous Chateau Montelena. He shared his insight on how to design the perfect wine cellar to make your wine-loving dreams come true.
What are the most important factors when it comes to building a wine cellar and why? Temperature is the most important consideration. Wine needs consistent temperature (ideally between 55F and 65F) to mature properly. With that understanding, in designing a cellar, I would first focus on building out 50-100% more capacity than you think you need now, as your collection will only grow with time. Moreover, the circulation of cool air inside is critical so the racking system needs to promote airflow.
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If you’re building one, what are the main materials you need? The space should be well insulated and ideally away from sources of heat or excessive light that could lead to temperature variability. Again, simplicity and flexibility are key here. Foam insulation and plywood can certainly work to face simple 2x4 framing, although the marine-treated materials can help minimize mold growth in the enclosed space. Definitely stay away from drywall or anything sensitive to moisture. LED lights inside are handy as they give off little to no heat. If you have the option to install / buildout / utilize a floor drain, it makes cleaning up broken bottles much easier. As for the chiller, again oversize it, and make sure you have a plan if the unit you purchased has a condensate line.
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What are the benefits of creating a wine cellar? For the bottle you just purchased and are planning to consume tonight, there’s no reason to take it off your countertop. But for wines that do benefit from maturation, environmental conditions play a critical role and necessitate a dedicated cellar or at least a wine refrigerator. We hear stories of meaningful bottles, proudly displayed on a shelf for a decade or more, and the disappointment that inevitably results (after opening) due to improper storage. So the quality aspect alone is the biggest benefit. Also, it’s so much easier having your wine, organized, in a single space. How should you go about starting to fill your cellar? I can’t stress this enough: if you’re going to build a cellar, then spend the time and money to put good wine inside. It’s like buying good tools: it’s worth it. Remember that the thermal mass of a wine bottle is significant. Your chiller will operate much more efficiently and effectively when your cellar is full. So fill it up! Finally, find trustworthy producers who not only create wines that benefit from time in the cellar but also stand behind their products. That last piece is worth repeating.
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Takeoff Takeoff //// Taste Speed
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he past year of challenges and uncertainty has hurled more than a few speed bumps at the automotive industry. It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has left many manufacturers struggling to meet production goals, creating substantial delays in previously estimated deliveries, but there are still a number of worthwhile luxury vehicle options available today for the automotive enthusiast. Our 2021 luxury auto preview showcases a few of our favorite new models that you may want to consider adding to your car collection. Pictured: 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series
“The new GT Black Series is our latest automotive highlight and continues a tradition established in 2006. The performance, appearance and driving dynamics of this unique super sports car are second to none.” - Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board at Mercedes-AMG GmbH
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2021 Acura NSX
Acura NSX interior
Maserati MC20
2021 Maybach S-Class
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2021 Maybach S-Class interior
or devoted fans of Mercedes-AMG, the new AMG GT Black Series lets you proudly proclaim your passion for performance perfection. The new Black Series sits atop the brand’s list of high-performance models and has even earned the coveted title “King of the Ring” after setting a new production car lap record at Germany’s famed Nürburgring. Powered by a redesigned 4.0L V8 with flat-plane crankshaft, the latest Black Series model delivers a mind-blowing 720hp and 590 lb-ft of torque - a significant increase over its GT R predecessor. Bigger turbochargers deliver a boost of nearly 25psi, while the AMG GT’s new engine redline has been upped to 7200 RPMs to allow for more balanced gas flow. Optimized aerodynamics provide up to 880 lbs of downforce at 155mph and include an adjustable diffuser, rear wing, and track-focused suspension. It may not be the most efficient grocery getter, but the AMG GT Black Series will certainly place you at the front of the pack on track days. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class redefines luxury. Along with a longer wheelbase for more room in the rear seats, the 2021 Maybach S-Class flaunts numerous styling embellishments. A breathtaking interior remains a core focus of the Maybach line and the newest model is no exception. The new Maybach S-Class features ultra-plush pillow headrests, massaging front seats, a 30-speaker Burmeister stereo, and an in-cabin fragrance system all
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as standard options. Additional upgrades include massaging executive rear seats, an integrated beverage cooler complete with matching champagne flutes, as well as a plethora of color palate options for a fully bespoke interior design. AMG’s twin-turbo 4.0L V8 delivers 496hp to the wheels of the new Maybach which remains competitively priced versus its direct competitors. If you’re an elite executive in the market for a luxury saloon, the 2021 Maybach S-Class provides the ideal solution for those who prefer to be driven by a personal chauffeur. The jury is still out on BMW’s new oversized kidney grille, but there’s no doubt the completely redesigned M4 model offers a notable improvement over the brand’s previous version. Along with a dramatically revised exterior, the newest M4 features a more powerful version of BMW’s twin-turbocharged in-line six cylinder engine capable of producing 473hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Opt for the M4 Competition package and you’ll be rewarded with an additional 30hp as well as a larger set of wheels to keep you firmly planted on the asphalt. You’ll be forced to stick with the base M4 for a manual gearbox. However, rumor has it that the updated 8-speed automatic transmission being offered as the only option in the Competition series could make way for a rear-biased, all-wheel drive system capable of disengaging the front wheels on command for some serious drifting action. In either case, we found the extra M Carbon bucket seats, M Drive Professional package
2021 BMW M3 & M4
“BMW M has always stood for motorsports at the highest level and in all of its diversity, whereby we are also open to disciplines such as drift sports.” - Markus Flasch, CEO of the BMW M GmbH
(with onboard drift analyzer and lap timer), and the M Driver’s package (which unlocks a higher top speed and includes access to a one-day driving course) as must-have additions. Conversely, the Porsche team in Stuttgart is said to have plans to release its newest sports car later this year with the launch of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. The highly-anticipated 500hp RS version is expected to inherit a handful of components from the recently released 992 Porsche 911 GT3, including optimized air curtains on the front bumper, NACA ducts on the hood (a common RS trait), and rear
Porsche Taycan
quarter window louvers - presumably for increased aerodynamics. Don’t expect to find the new RS with a manual shifting option however, as all signs point to the new model only being offered with the brand’s PDK automatic transmission. No luxury automotive list would be complete without the inclusion of at least one Italian marquee, and the engineers at Maserati have taken note. The all-new Maserati MC20 enters the market as the brand’s first super sports car and pays homage to the legendary Maserati MC12. Underneath the hood of the head-turning supercar lies a masterfully developed twin-turbo 3.0L V6 Nettuno engine that generates a staggering 621hp. The groundbreaking powertrain moves the new model from zero-to-sixty in less than three seconds and helps the MC20 reach a top speed of 202mph. It’s the first Maserati to use a full carbon fiber monocoque, resulting in an ultra-lightweight body that, combined with the vehicle’s midengine configuration, provides a near perfect power to weight ratio. It’s also the brand’s first model to feature butterfly doors and is made entirely in the company’s Modena factory. Weighing in at just 3,300 lbs, the new MC20 is unquestionably one of the hottest new supercars available for purchase in 2021.
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Takeoff Takeoff //// Taste Speed Ready to make the jump to electric? Like it or not, the future of the automotive industry is inevitably becoming electrified. Case in point: the massive success of the Porsche Taycan sedan is said to have heavily influenced Porsche’s plans to be more than 80% electric by 2030. There are talks of a Taycan Coupe and Taycan Convertible entering the assembly line, though no timeline has been announced for delivery of these additional body styles. We do know Porsche will begin phasing out gas vehicles over the next few years, and we expect others to follow suit. The latest generation Acura NSX, albeit not fully electric, is also worthy of consideration. Positioned at the pinnacle of Honda’s luxury subsidiary, the Acura NSX’s hybrid powertrain generates a top speed of 191mph and stop-to-60 acceleration in 2.7 seconds. The model’s twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 works harmoniously with its three electric motors and 9-speed dual clutch transmission to deliver a combined output of 573hp and 476 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to two electric motors in front, one at each wheel, the NSX is essentially an all-wheel drive vehicle with torque vectoring and the ability to supplement power during acceleration to virtually eliminate the loss of performance from turbo lag. Presenting four distinct driving modes (Quiet, Sport, Sport+, and Track), the cutting-edge high-performance hybrid can switch from an F1-inspired supercar to an ultra-discrete EV on the fly. The feature that we found most impressive, though, is Acura’s 8-year 100,000 mile warranty for the NSX’s hybrid
McLaren Artura
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components, making this arguably one of the most reliable supercars to ever hit the streets. Great Britain’s McLaren Automotive has similarly entered the hybrid supercar field with the release of the McLaren Artura. With a new twin-turbo 3.0L V6 (a significant departure from the company’s go-to V8 platform), the Artura takes advantage of an added electric motor for a combined 671hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. Notably, it marks the first use of the company’s MCLA (McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture) which has been purpose-designed for use in McLaren’s future electrified powertrains. Paired with the newly designed and lighter weight V6 engine, the Artura manages to maintain an extremely low curb weight of only 3,303 lbs. There are also improvements in handling with a new electronically controlled limited slip differential, carbon-ceramic brakes, and
Takeoff // Taste
Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut - Photography by Dutch
a new 8-speed dual clutch transmission. The Artura is nearly a quarter of an inch longer than its 720S big brother, yet maintains a pleasingly streamlined appearance thanks to the omission of any aggressive active aerodynamics. Standard options include power-adjustable “comfort seats,” a front-end lift system, power-folding mirrors, and soft-close doors. An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display provides easy access to the vehicle’s various controls, and the Artura’s electronic systems receive over-the-air updates to ensure your model always has the latest software. We suggest you reserve a build slot today if you plan on adding the Artura to your fleet anytime soon. And finally, we would be remiss not to mention at least one ultraexclusive, over the top, multi-million-dollar hypercar. For the zealous collector who simply must have the absolute best, we can’t think of a better offering than the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut (pun intended). Producing an astounding 1,600hp on E85 fuel, the new model is expected to be the fastest vehicle ever produced by the Swedish hypercar manufacturer. And after making a special appearance at the Jetset hangar early this year, we can speak candidly about the breathtaking design and unrivaled performance of this track-focused mega car. While reservations are said to be filled, we imagine there will
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likely be a few making the rounds among the world’s most elite and savvy automotive aficionados. They say the vehicle you drive speaks volumes about your personality, and the current abundance of lucrative selections means there’s never been a better time to update your garage. Whether you’re considering a high-performance hybrid or simply want the finest in luxury and comfort, each of these featured vehicles offers an opportunity to take charge of the road in your own personal style.
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NOB ODY MAKES GOL F CLUBS THE WAY WE DO. PERIOD.® Issue 2 . 2021 |
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Takeoff // Charter Explore
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“The magnetic polar regions of Antarctica and the Arctic remain side by side on many a once-in-a-lifetime travel wish list, and there’s no better way to see them than from the deck of a superyacht.” - Y.CO charter specialist Tamsin Priestley
Dream Itineraries to Suit Your Style
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by Si Si Penaloza
hile there was nothing conventional about global travel in 2020, one maxim was certain, life at sea and under big skies never looked so appealing. While, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, international traveler numbers fell by 56% between January and May in 2020, the latest data from Y.CO suggests that the global yachting scene showed growth. As travel recovers in 2021, it is clear that big, bold adventure is on the horizon. In re-evaluating their lives and travel priorities, yachting enthusiasts assessed how they vacationed, connected with loved ones, and conducted their business much more closely, with more scrutiny. As recognizable “office life” unraveled, it became possible to spend more time at sea, and travelers seized opportunities posed by ‘the new normal’ to discover the world in chic seaworthy security with their families. Exploration and adventure are the key element of recent yacht charter enquiries at Y.CO, a rise in demand for expedition charter in particular suggesting an antidote to the recent restrictions experienced by many these last 12 months. The polar regions of Antarctica and the Arctic remain on many a once-in-a-lifetime travel wish list, and what better way to witness the earth in all its glory than from the deck of a superyacht? The Y.CO fleet includes specialist yachts geared for these types of expeditions with on board equipment including submersibles, snowmobiles, ice diving equipment and even a helicopter for heliskiing.
Pictured: Legend in Antarctica - Photo by Shelton DuPreez
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Takeoff // Charter Explore
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he originators of glamping in America really know the coveted cohort of affluent guests is looking for in 2021 travel. The founders of The Resort at Paws Up, the brain trust behind Montana’s most illustrious luxury ranch brand, are rolling out the perfect buyout escape with the green o. Imagine a sleek and sophisticated woodland hideaway, launching June 1, 2021, comprising of 12 drool-worthy and design-forward accommodations. This remote getaway offers an intimate retreat available for fully private buyouts, ideal for an Oracle offsite or a Geffen family reunion. Set in the heart of Montana’s Blackfoot River Valley, the green o is a year-round, off-the-grid contemporary luxury retreat, primed for small groups. An array of customizable itineraries ideal for intimate weddings, milestone celebrations, incentive retreats, family office meetings, private board meeting getaways and more will be available. Designed for maximum privacy, we fell in love with the elevated Tree Haus concept and the Green Haus’ rooftop deck perfect for stargazing, the Round Haus’ sunken living room and the Light Haus’ glass-enclosed bedroom (there’s no one for miles so the bashful need not be shy in booking this option). Each Haus features floor-to-ceiling
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windows with seamless views of the Montana wilderness. Hosting up to 24 guests in consummate style, this new alpine hideaway celebrates ranch heritage with cuisine and curated guest experiences inspired by the land. You’ll even ramble around in style; each Haus comes with a personal Lexus luxury SUV to explore the 37,000-acre Paws Up Ranch. After a year of off and on lockdowns, parents will rejoice in Paws Up’s unparalleled activity roster. Anything that can be dreamed up can be executed, from live-fire cooking sessions to private horseback trail rides, authentic Western cattle drives, s’mores around the campfire or live music cocktail hours. If they so choose, groups are invited to push the limits of their bodies, minds and spirits by engaging in 50+ thrilling activities to invigorate them or keep them centered, such as ATV tours, rappelling, forest bathing and spa treatments. At the center of the green o, a freestanding private restaurant venue (the Social Haus), serves up menus catered specifically to the needs of each guest in-house, from small, shareable plates to nourishing entrees and artful desserts created by Executive Chef Brandon Cunningham. Meals match the robust, hearty living here at Paws Up, focused on healthy ingredients that include a rich variety of seasonal favorites.
The wonder and joy of a tree house can be yours again. At the green o, your hideaway awaits, with luxury Tree Haus accommodations that would make the eight-year-old you drool. And that’s to say nothing of the cuisine. From foie gras to cedar plank salmon to a wine list for the oenophile in all of us, your stay will be full of gastronomic touches that the world’s best hotels can’t touch. So join us among 37,000 acres of the most beautiful, and unspoiled, nature in the world. You’ll be as giddy as a child. R E M OT E . R E F I N E D.
thegreeno.com I Greenough, Montana I 888-957-9918 . 2021 ©Issue 2021 The Best Beef 2 Last | LLC53
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oast to life in the fast lane at Layan Residences by Anantara in Phuket, as the tropical retreat launches a budget-blowing experience inspired by the 007 classic The Man with the Golden Gun. From flying-in via private jet to handling the original golden gun from the 1974 film (think of all the photo ops), this no-expense-spared escape is packed with thrilling VIP experiences. The adventure kicks off in high style as guests board a private jet from Bangkok to Phuket, before being whisked by chauffeurdriven limo to Villa Similan – the largest of the resort’s 15 ultra-luxurious residences. Perched high on a hill with ocean and jungle views, this lavish eight-bedroom property oozes suave sophistication and comes with a live-in butler and an on-call private chef and spa therapist (a set up worthy of Dr. No) Boasting a chic indoor-outdoor design with freestanding bedrooms and living spaces, the villa has an elevated roof terrace, 22-metre infinity pool and massage room. A glass-clad wine room leads to the pièce de résistance: a 007-esque ‘man cave’ complete with leather sofas, an antique carved billiards table and ‘the’ legendary golden gun.
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Used by the film’s villain Francisco Scaramanga, the custombuilt pistol famously consisted of several innocuous golden objects – a cufflink (trigger), gas lighter (bullet chamber), fountain pen (barrel) and cigarette case (handle) – so that it could be easily smuggled. Guests have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to handle this fabled weapon during a wine tasting with Anantara’s wine guru, before retiring to the terrace for a specially prepared dinner. This extravagant experience includes a glamorous yacht cruise around Phang Nga Bay, where the spy thriller was filmed, sip free-flowing Krug champagne and a gourmet barbecue prepared by the onboard private chef. Scattered with mangrove-cloaked limestone, the spectacular bay’s most famous rock, ‘James Bond Island’, played a starring role in the movie as Scaramanga’s hideout. Back at the villa, brush up on your Ninja skills with a private Muay Thai boxing lesson. Soak up the views over the Andaman Sea as your butler serves up signature dry Martinis (shaken, not stirred) before heading to the cinema room for a private viewing of vintage Bond films. Package includes private jet flights from Bangkok to Phuket for up to seven people and exclusive use of Villa Similan.
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Altitude // Industry
THE JOURNEY TO REMAIN RELEVANT IN THE FACE OF RISING COMPETITION BY BARRY LABOV
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he range of products available to consumers these days is almost overwhelming. A quick scan of Amazon gives you a sense of just how many choices are out there. As a consumer, it can be great to have so many options, but as a manufacturer, it can be a significant challenge to succeed in a global marketplace. Those who do succeed have likely learned that as you amplify the differentiation of your brand, product, service or technology, you intensify the engagement of your sales channel and customers. Differentiation should be an ongoing journey for any company that wants to remain relevant and successful.
Differentiation is never done. Beyond the initial discovery of what truly makes a brand different, it is important to continue redifferentiating as new competitors arise and consumer demands change. The good news is there is more than one way to ensure a product or brand stands out and captures the attention of customers and sales channels. Differentiation on many fronts. Differentiation can happen in many areas, from product features to a company’s customer experience to its sustainability efforts and charitable activities. Having multiple points of differentiation is much stronger than competing on price alone. Products become mere commodities when competing only on price. Another company can always come along and sell their products cheaper. It’s when you do something unique, that you elevate your product beyond a commodity to become something that is valued by consumers. Differentiate visually. Perhaps the most direct way to differentiate a product is visually. For brands that sit on shelves with other similar products, visual branding is critical. Visual identities can be defined using logos, colors, fonts, imagery and creative design. Visual differentiation influences how your audience perceives your brand or product. It can evoke emotion and begin to tell a story that separates you from the competition.
Differentiate through the experience. Brands like Ritz-Carlton, Trader Joe’s and Amazon continue to differentiate themselves through the experience they provide customers. This is one of the most important ways to stand apart from the competition. Customers are more likely to remember and be loyal to brands that provide the best experiences, even if their products or services cost more. Providing quick responses to questions and issues, streamlining the purchase and return process, and taking actions that delight customers are all ways top brands have delivered experiences that differentiate and earn them accolades. Differentiate through quality. Equal to or even more important than differentiating through the customer experience is differentiating through quality. We have all had experiences with products that failed or didn’t live up to our expectations. Most of us wouldn’t purchase the same product again. We would turn to a competitor. But when we find a product with great quality, that product is differentiated in our minds. Consumers will usually pay more for a well-made product and recommend it to friends. It’s the one we choose over the competition time and again. Differentiate through processes. Differentiation can also be found in the way you do something. Maybe it’s an extra qualityassurance step that’s taken in the manufacturing of a product. It could
be a unique process that streamlines the purchase experience. Or maybe something that’s done after the sale of a product or service to ensure a positive ownership experience. It’s worth spending some time or working with a partner to take a deep dive into your processes, identifying what is unique and what can be communicated to consumers that would drive value in your product. Differentiate through your team. Having the right people on your team is a powerful differentiator. Sales teams that are on the front lines with customers can be instrumental in differentiating a product or service. Their knowledge, support and the value they bring help companies stand out from the rest. That’s why it’s so important to first launch new products to internal audiences like salespeople before launching it to customers. Get the buy-in of sales teams and ensure they understand the story behind the product so they can confidently explain what makes it different and increase its value in the eyes of consumers. Discovering a brand and product’s differentiators and making sure they’re communicated is essential for businesses in today’s highly competitive world. The most successful companies continue to amplify their differentiation in new ways. The result is engaged customers and sales networks that remain loyal advocates of your brand, products and services.
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Altitude // Estates
WHAT MAKES THE 2021 REAL ESTATE MARKET DIFFERENT
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BY KEN MCELROY here’s no way to sugarcoat it: last year was brutal for many people in so many ways. After experiencing historically low unemployment before the pandemic, we experienced record job losses. Businesses shut their doors en masse, in many cases permanently. All of this is without even mentioning the devastating human toll the coronavirus inflicted.
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espite that grim backdrop, if you were to look at the housing market, you would never know how dire the overall picture was. After an initial dip in housing sales in MarchApril 2020, once the industry figured out workarounds like contactless showings, the market quickly rebounded and even exceeded the strength of its pre-pandemic numbers. The boost was aided in large part by people who were suddenly working from home, which enabled them to consider areas near and far. We’ve experienced such strong housing numbers for so long that some may assume they’ll just keep going in an upward direction. A less seasoned observer might see this trend as proof that the housing market is unstoppable—after all, if a pandemic couldn’t slow it down, nothing can, they reason. In fact, if you’re in your early 30s or younger, as an adult, you’ve only seen housing prices increase year after year. But of course, trends always change. A lot of people have been asking me what the rest of 2021 will be like for the housing market. While I predict that it will be a sellers’ market for the next few months, that will change when there’s a surge of newly available inventory later this year. In fact, I’m seeing some factors right now that echo the conditions that were in place before the 2008 housing crash. There are a large number of Americans already behind on their mortgages, often as a result of job losses in a job market that’s struggling to come back. At the end of 2020, the unemployment rate was about 6.8 percent, roughly twice the pre-pandemic rate. My real cause for my concern about the housing market is that millions of people are being kept afloat by the CARES act mortgage forbearance and eviction moratorium. But what happens when the forbearance ends? We still don’t know exactly when that will be. President Biden could extend it further, but once it does end, there will be a lot of people who can’t pay their mortgages.
“Prospective buyers will still have access to historically-low mortgage rates, and lenders won’t be reeling from the flood of foreclosures like they were in 2008.”
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Altitude // Estates At the end of 2020, about five and a half percent of active mortgages were in a forbearance program. While the rollout of vaccines will help a lot of Americans get back to work, it’s unlikely that everyone who has become unemployed will find a job right away. What we are likely to see is a glut of new inventory due to homeowners who can’t pay their mortgages. With potentially high unemployment, it’s inevitable that some people will need to sell their homes. Once that inventory increases, housing prices are sure to go down.
2008 Redux? So by now, you’re probably wondering if this means you should brace yourself for a repeat of the 2008 housing crash. Fortunately, there are some encouraging signs that we aren’t poised for a repeat of a catastrophe on the same scale. One of the most important differences between now and 2008 is that the mortgage industry actually learned some lessons from the devastation of 2008. In the years leading up to the implosion, there were all kinds of red flags, which lenders ignored because they were distracted by the fistfuls of cash dangling in front of them. They engaged in some downright reckless lending practices, one example of which is the stated income loan. If a borrower had good credit, they could say they were making a certain income and the lender wouldn’t bother to verify it. It’s unthinkable now, but it fueled so much lending in the period before the crash. In addition to lending to people whose income was questionable, lenders weren’t even requiring a down payment from many borrowers. In the year before the crash, 12.7 percent of home loans were made with zero down payment. Basically, if you could fog a mirror, you could get a home loan. As a result, the number of defaults was so massive that lenders stopped lending. Fortunately, there has been a more pragmatic approach to lending in recent years. For one thing, lenders are actually verifying the income of prospective borrowers. Also, the threshold to ownership has been increased. Zero down payment loans are much rarer today and are mainly for veterans. Today, people have far more equity in their homes, which means that we aren’t seeing the same percentage of people who are underwater on their homes, owing more than their value. Currently, only three percent of properties have negative equity, versus approximately 25 percent in the 2008 crash. Even with the pandemic and a struggling job market, home prices continued to rise in 2020. In the third quarter of 2020 alone, the average mortgage borrower gained $17,000 in equity. In fact, the aggregate loan-to-value of residential real estate—which is the amount of debt still to be paid back to the bank versus the value of the home held outright by the owner—in the United States is at a thirty-year low. With the average homeowner having more equity in their home than in 2008, it’s less likely for there to be a wave of fore-
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closures. When borrowers default on a loan, it’s not a foregone conclusion that it will lead to a foreclosure. Borrowers can refinance or make payment arrangements with their lenders, or they could sell the property to preempt a foreclosure auction. The average financially-distressed homeowner today is far less likely to experience foreclosure than in 2008. So what will the actual surge in inventory look like and when will it happen? That’s difficult to say. Most of this depends on how much the economy rebounds before the forbearance ends. As of the end of 2020, about 5.5 percent of active mortgages—about 2.7 million loans—were in the forbearance program, down from over eight percent at its peak in March. People who exited forbearance did so successfully, with about 87 percent of borrowers having their loans modified or reinstated. So that 87 percent is unlikely to sell, but the remaining 13 percent of homeowners who left the program without a repayment plan of some sort in place are the ones who are most at risk of going into default. If these numbers remain consistent, about 325,000 people will exit the forbearance program. Many of those loans will likely default. While being forced to sell is clearly a worst-case scenario, the silver lining is that delinquent borrowers are likely to see lots of bids. Prospective buyers will still have access to historically-low mortgage rates, and lenders won’t be reeling from the flood of foreclosures like they were in 2008. So even as we see the number of defaults increase when the forbearance program ends, the record level of homeowner equity means that the overwhelming majority of distressed assets are likely to be sold well before any foreclosure takes place. That’s good news for everyone. An explosion of foreclosure auctions is devastating for the homeowners behind those losses, but it’s also bad news for the economy overall. If lenders were to take losses again on thousands of properties, as happened in 2008, lending would grind to a halt again. Fortunately, the circumstances are different enough in 2021 that we shouldn’t be seeing that again. It’s clear to me that there will be a dip in housing prices. The timeline for when this happens is dependent upon when the forbearance will end, but I think we are poised to see housing prices come down by the end of 2021. Much like 2008, its impact will vary from market to market, but unlike 2008, it will not cause the deep devastation that permeated the economy. After the year we’ve all been through, that’s some good news that everyone will appreciate. Ken McElroy is the co-partner of MC Companies, a real estate investment, development and management company located in Scottsdale, Ariz. He is the author of the best-selling books, The ABC’s of Real Estate Investing, The Advanced Guide to Real Estate Investing, and The ABC’s of Property Management. McElroy is also a contributor for The Real Book of Real Estate by Robert Kiyosaki, and The Midas Touch by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki. McElroy’s fourth book, The Sleeping Giant, is dedicated to the new class of entrepreneurs who are emerging in today’s economy.
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Altitude // Finance
A Fantasy Story Comes to Life By Robert Kiyosaki
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here are many similarities between the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank and the movie The Wizard of Oz. One of the memorable lines from this film classic, adapted from a fantasy novel by L. Frank Baum, is, “I’m just a very bad wizard.” That line rings true today, more than ever. If former U.S. Fed Chairmen Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, Janet Yellin, and today’s Chairman Jerome Powell said the words, “I’ve been a bad Fed Chairman,” thousands would stand up and cheer. Honesty! At last.
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he problem is that without any real financial education in our school system, 99 percent of graduates—even college graduates—know little of this mysterious, shadowy, global institution known as the central banking system. That’s why I thought I would use the story of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, a story loved by millions, to explain money, central banks and the mysterious Wizard . . . aka the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank. The children’s novel titled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published in 1900. The book is filled with symbolic allegory about U.S. economics and politics in the 1890s, the timeframe during which Baum wrote his book. Biographers report that he had been a political activist in the 1890s with a special interest in gold and silver. Baum died in 1919, and, to my knowledge, was never asked if his classic children’s book had any hidden political or monetary symbolism . . . so his classic novel is open to interpretation. For many, Dorothy represents the financially naïve ... a sheltered but gutsy girl from Kansas. The scarecrow represents the farmers in the West. The scarecrow, who had been told he had “no brains,” is thought to be a stereotype of an uneducated rural farmer, a prejudicial characterization shared (some say . . .) by many elites in the East, even today. When deflation hits, the value of farmers’ farms go down, but their mortgages do not. The Wicked Witch of the East, it’s been said, represents the corrupt “Eastern financial and industrial interests,” especially Wall Street. And so the story repeats. On February 15, 2006, Fed Chairman Bernanke, an academic elite from the East, said: “Housing markets are cooling a bit. Our expectation is that the decline in activity or the slowing in activity will be moderate, that house prices will probably continue to rise.” On September 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history. Real estate prices in the United States and around the world crashed, triggering the biggest real estate crash in world history. Modern, naïve and poor scarecrows... In 2008, many believed it was poor, “subprime buyers,” purchasing homes they could not afford, that caused the crash. In reality, it was financially-engineered derivatives, investment vehicles Warren Buffett has called “financial weapons of mass destruction.” These weapons of financial mass destruction were manufactured under the watchful eye of the modern-day Wicked Witches of the East—the Fed, the Securities and Exchange Commission and Wall Street investment bankers like Bernie Madoff, non-executive head of the NASDQ stock exchange. Bernie served as NASDQ non-executive head until his arrest on December 11, 2008. Bernie was arrested for running a $64-billion Ponzi-scheme fraud, the largest financial fraud in U.S. history. Until the time of his arrest, Bernie’s firm was one of the most respected “market maker firms” on Wall Street. Bernie was a Wicked Witch of the East. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy represents the naïve and financially uneducated American working class. In 2008, modern Dorothys— who have been characterized as naïve, uneducated Americans—were buying homes with Ninja (no income, no job) loans. The tornado that carried Dorothy and her crew out of Kansas was much like the subprime crash of 2008 that cost millions of the financially-naive their homes and jobs. In 2008 alone, 861,664 American families lost their homes. In 2008, there were 3.1 million foreclosure filings. Foreclosure filings were up a record 81 percent between 2008 and 2009. In 2008, Bernie Madoff took $64 billion from 4,800 high-income, high-net worth “Dorothys.” One of Dorothy’s most famous lines is “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” In 2021, an estimated one million Americans have not yet returned ‘home,’ 13 years after the 2008 subprime crash. In 2017, Fed Chairman Janet Yellin stated: “Would I say there will never, ever be another financial crisis? You know probably that would be going too far, but I do think we’re much safer and I hope that it will not be in our lifetimes and I don’t believe it will be.” In March of 2020, the biggest stock market crash in history occurred, dropping the U.S. economy into a depression in less than three weeks.
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In May 2020, rioting broke out in over 140 U.S. cities and cities all over the world. None of us are in Kansas anymore. It is more than the murder of George Floyd. It was more than the shutdown of the world economy. We know something is wrong, very wrong. The economic crisis is more than race, money and poverty. Personally, I think the problem is the Wizard. Tragically, most think the Fed Chairman is a “good Wizard.” Yet, in the end—in that classic movie every one of us has undoubtedly seen at least once—the Wizard says to Dorothy, “I’m just a very bad wizard.” Since 1977, the Federal Reserve Bank has operated under a Congressional mandate to provide: 1. Maximum employment 2. Stable prices 3. Moderate long-term interest rates In June of 2020: 1. Unemployment was over 30 percent 2. Prices were crashing 3. Interest rates were near zero 4. Debt was increasing–GDP was decreasing Does that make sense to financially-naive Dorothy?
But wait ... there’s more ... We are fast approaching a world where the richest one percent of the world’s population will have amassed over 50 percent of the planet’s wealth. The bottom 80 percent will be left with 5.5 percent of the wealth. In May 2020, the Fed printed about $3 trillion. Most of it went to Wall Street, making people like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg even richer. Think about this: A trillion is 12 keystrokes on a computer. It takes less than a minute to create a trillion dollars. Yet, if you spent $1 every second, it would take 31,710 years to spend a trillion dollars. How long will it take the American taxpayer to pay back that huge sum? This is why I own gold, silver and Bitcoin. They are outside the control of the Wizard—and the Wicked Witches of the East.
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The Wizard has been artificially propping up the government and Wall Street, loaning trillions of dollars, at virtually no interest, to banks and public corporations. The rich receive trillions in low-interest debt, in many cases, close to zero percent. What does Dorothy get? When the Dorothys of the world need money, they borrow at staggering interest rates, some that can climb to over 30 percent. Even worse for financially-naïve Dorothys, they work for money and save money while the Wizard prints trillions in fake dollars, devaluing the purchasing power of Dorothy’s paycheck and lowering interest rates on Dorothy’s savings. Corporate oligarchs (CEOs) receive money, indirectly, from the Wizard via QE, Quantitative Easing, a money-printing scheme used in 1930 during the Great Depression. Rather than use this “free money” to improve their businesses, the CEOs use the money to ‘buy back shares of their businesses, inflating their companies’ share prices for the few who are in the stock market. This “free money” from the Wizard weakens the CEOs’ businesses, although the share price of their company stock goes up. Dorothy’s job security is threatened when a CEO uses debt to buy back shares, because the credit rating of the company she works for goes from AAA to “junk.” This is why Neiman Marcus, J. Crew, JCPenney, Hertz, Gold’s Gym, True Religion and others have recently filed for bankruptcy. Why do corporate CEOs do this? To receive income at lower tax rates. And how do they do that? They use the debt from their companies to buy company shares. Rather than make a company stronger, borrowing corporate debt drives the company shares higher . . . but the company is weaker, due to debt. Many AAA-rated corporations such as AT&T, GE and Ford have had their credit ratings downgraded to BBB, also known as “junk bonds.” This begs another question: Why do they sell their stock options? The CEOs and executives sell their stock options—their bonus for doing
a good job—at inflated prices. And these ‘sales’ are taxed at “capital gains” tax rates, which are lower than the tax rates their employees pay via their paychecks. Dorothys pay taxes at “ordinary income” tax rates, while executives pay “capital gains” tax rates, which are lower than “ordinary income” tax rates. Financially-naïve Dorothy has no idea what the Wizard and Wicked Witches of the East are doing.
But wait ... there’s still more ... Dorothy is happy to have a 401(k) because her money and her company’s matching contribution goes into her 401(k) tax-free. Tax-deferred is a more accurate statement. The problem is that when she retires, the income coming out of her 401(k) is taxed at “ordinary income” tax rates, the highest tax rate. For the Dorothys of the world, the only way a 401(k) makes sense is if they plan on being poorer when they retire. If they plan on being rich, the income from their 401(k)s will be taxed at the highest tax rate. The Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, it’s been said, represents industrial workers who are tired of being treated like robots. In 2021, real robots are replacing real human beings. Like the Tin Man, they should have an oil can handy for squeaky joints . . . due to unemployment. In 2021, college graduates are caught in the vice of student loan debt, low paying jobs and rising national debt. These issues are fueling revolt and unrest. So are underemployed artists, journalists, lawyers, cooks, waiters, small business owners and teachers who are joining a growing wave of vocal protesters. And while peaceful assembly is a First Amendment right, looting and violence are criminal acts. Ironically, while Dorothy protests peacefully, Wall Street’s Wicked Witches of the East are looting the pensions of teachers, firefighters and police officers via hedge funds and IRAs via the fees in mutual funds. Many are angry at capitalism. But capitalism is not the problem. It is the corruption of capitalism, aka crony capitalism, led by the Wizards (corrupt politicians), the Wicked Witches of the East and a dysfunctional
education system that steals from students via student loans—and teaches Dorothy nothing about money.
The real story ... There has been quite a bit written about the symbolism in The Wizard of Oz and here are some relevant highlights: The Emerald City represents the place that produces “greenbacks,” which were first produced for the Civil War between 1861 and 1865. In 1913, the Federal Reserve Bank was created. That same year, the 16th Amendment was passed and the IRS—the tax department—was created. Debt and taxes became fake (fiat, government) money. Today, the Emerald City represents the Eccles Building which is where the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank is housed in Washington, DC. In The Wizard of Oz, the Yellow Brick Road is the gold standard. In the original book, Dorothy’s slippers were made of silver, not rubies. And while there is no mention of gold or silver in the title of The Wizard of Oz, many believe the “Oz” is the abbreviation for “ounce,” or a gold and silver oz. In 1971, the United States went off the Yellow Brick Road. That year, President Richard Nixon took the U.S. dollar off the gold standard, and the United States could print as much money as it wanted to pay its bills. That is why our nation’s debt exploded from millions in 1971 to trillions in 2021. It shouldn’t be surprising that when the Wizard and the Emerald City prints money, the rich get richer and the poor and middle class get poorer. On May 29, 2020, defending trillions in quantitative easing, Fed Chairman Powell stated: “Money printing does not create income inequality.” Is the Wizard lying . . . or telling the truth? In my opinion, he is telling the truth. The truth is, most of the money the Fed prints goes to Wall Street and that money is transferred to the rich, via higher stock prices, not income. The corporate elite and the Wicked Witches of the East get richer. Dorothy grows poorer.
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Cowardly Politicians It’s been suggested that the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz represents the cowardly politicians, those who roar loudly and appear fierce, but are essentially cowards. Cowardly politicians are why the issues related to the economy, education and the environment grow worse, but nothing changes. They are all on the Wizard’s payroll. In 1933, the Glass-Steagall Act was passed. This act was passed to restore confidence in U.S. banks and helped end the Great Depression. This 1933 act separated the Dorothy banks (commercial mom and pop banks) from Wicked Witches’ East Coast Banks (investment banks). Unfortunately, a number of politicians (aka cowardly lions) such as Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Robert Rubin and Phil Gramm repealed the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act, an act designed to protect Dorothy from the Wicked Witches of the East. Three storms brewing ... In 1900, the story of the Wizard starts with a “typhoon” or “tornado” that twists Dorothy out of Kansas. In 1999, with the repeal of the GlassSteagall Act, the Wizard, the Wicked Witches of the East and cowardly politicians in Washington turned our banks and Wall Street into giant casinos. Dorothy’s money was now co-mingled with Wall Street money, and a brand-new casino was opened. The Wizard, the Wicked Witches of the East and the Cowardly Lions’ giant casinos caused the typhoons that hit—the 2000 dotcom crash, the 2008 subprime crash and, in 2020, the corona crash. In 2020, tornados were called protests, rioting, looting, unemployment, murders and bankruptcies. Trillions of dollars in fake money were being handed out to Dorothy, and more money was being distributed to keep Wall Street bankers happy.
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Many believe the Wizard from the Emerald City—cowardly politicians, including politicians who in 1964 ended the silver standard, President Nixon who in 1971 ended the gold standard and in 1972 opened the door to China, President Carter who authorized the 401k in 1978 and Clinton who repealed the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999— encouraged excessive risk taking in stock markets. The stage was set for the “tornados” of 2000, 2008 and 2020. When tornados strike ... The saying inside the Emerald City—the Fed, inside the nation’s capital, and the den of cowardly lions aka The White House and Congress—and inside the home of The Wicked Witches of the East (aka Wall Street) is: “Winnings are privatized, and losses are socialized.” That means: When elites win, they keep their winnings. When tornados strike, and elites lose, the Wizard, cowardly lions and Wicked Witches bail out the elites. And once again, the Dorothys, the mom and pops and the taxpayers lose.” A few final words: In 1900, the Wizard’s final words to Dorothy were: “I’m just a very bad wizard.” In 2021 . . . the words are the same.
Best known as the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad — the #1 personal finance book of all time — Robert Kiyosaki has challenged and changed the way tens of millions of people around the world think about money. He is an entrepreneur, educator, and investor who believes that each of us has the power to makes changes in our lives, take control of our financial future, and live the rich life we deserve. With perspectives on money and investing that often contradict conventional wisdom, Robert has become a passionate and outspoken advocate for financial education.
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Altitude // Feature
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THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING JON HAMM BY SI SI PENALOZA
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he last time we see Don Draper, he sits meditating at a wellness retreat in Big Sur, California. The idea that we leave him just as his Coke ad-inspiring epiphany strikes, resonates into the current Cameo and Clubhouse zeitgeist now more than ever. Jon Hamm rose to fame for his critically-acclaimed turn playing the whip-smart, dapper Draper in AMC’s hit series, Mad Men. It feels terribly banal to dub Hamm handsome, or invoke his enduring cultural relevance. The intelligencia touted the auspicious debut of the genredefying series and its category-defying lead from the get go. His take on the philandering, amoral, martini-drinking antihero made him an international sex symbol, a perennial favorite on those sexiest-man-alive lists.
Since then, the rugged leading man has shuffled between dire drama and comedic roles with enviable ease. Quite a reversal of fortune from unemployed actor and sometime set dresser on adult film sets, to international celebrity starring alongside Tom Cruise in the hotly anticipated Top Gun: Maverick. After 35 years, the sequel to Top Gun will finally hit the big screen. Hamm co-stars in the Joseph Kosinski-directed film with Cruise, Val Kilmer, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly and Ed Harris. Cruise revives the role of limit-pushing naval aviator Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. We see Maverick serving as a flight instructor to the next generation of Top Guns including Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Teller), the son of his old sidekick Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. The action flick will also see a lot of new actors playing the offspring of characters from the beloved original. Hamm will play Vice Admiral Cyclone, reputed to be the son of “Viper”, Maverick’s old mentor. In an interview with KSDK, Hamm shared his first upbeat impressions of the upcoming sequel. “It’s going to leave a lot of people with their minds blown I think. I got the good fortune to see it over the summertime. They opened a theater for us and we all had to sit 15 feet apart and wear masks and everything, but we got to see it on the big screen, which is the right way to see it. It’s really visually stunning. And I think people are going to be moved by the story as well,” he said of the film’s emotional core. The sequel’s commitment to capturing the most thrilling action by shooting real synchronized flight sequences instead of relying on CGI seems to have paid off in a big way. One of the blockbuster hopeful’s hair-raising aerial stunts was so unprecedented and dangerous, Kosinski needed special permission from the United States Navy in order to film it. Cruise wanted the action to feel as visceral as possible, so yes, the actors are really in the cockpit. Instead of touring world capitals to talk up the release of Top Gun: Maverick—currently slated for a November 2021 releaseafter two pandemic-related premiere pushes—Hamm has been keeping close to his Los Angeles home.. A bonafide automotive aficionado, he’s been enjoying taking long drives up the California coast. Hamm has been the voice of Mercedes-Benz
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since 2010, and his enthusiasm for the art of driving is boundless. He has lit up many a red carpet for the prestige German marque. I caught up with him at the Mercedes-Benz Annual Academy Viewing Party at the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, where a spectacular gold wrapped Mercedes AMG GT turned heads in the circular driveway. “Gold can be overkill, but not tonight, not when it comes to this beauty. If sheer joy has a shape and a scale, this would be it,” Hamm mused off the cuff. “The way we drive, the way we handle a wheel, it’s a reflection of what’s directly on our mind. Driving while spent and cranky... or driving while falling in love with the person in the passenger seat, quite radically different sensations,” and with that, he was off with a nod and a cheeky grin. The last time I had seen him was in Toronto at the premiere of Ben Affleck’s directorial debut The Town, where he was considerably more demure, tucked in a corner booth tie undone, talking in hushed tones with Matt Damon and Edward Norton. Fellow actors just seem to gravitate to Hamm at a party. He sports an affable, candid camaraderie that I witnessed in full force at The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment breakfast; Hamm presented Tina Fey with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, recognizing female pioneers in the industry. His speech alluded to what an enduring ally he is to female co-stars; his remarks hilarious and poignant all at once. Standing next to me at the mimosa bar that morning, Hamm reflected on the talented women he’s worked with. “They eat me for breakfast, always keeping me on my toes,” he told me playfully. “Part of being an evolved, grown man is treating women well, respecting their time and their work.” After being nominated 16 times, it was Fey who had the honor of announcing Hamm had finally won the Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series in 2015, a fitting full circle. Hollywood was not always rosy for the young Jon. In 2012, Hamm revealed to Men’s Health that after his time at the University of Missouri, he packed up and moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles in 1995 with $150 he had saved. To add to the tinseltown rags-to-riches cliché, his car was repossessed after the city hit him with over $1,600 in unpaid parking tickets. After toiling in the trenches waiting tables — Hamm found work as a set dresser on adult films. As luck and legend has it, he met the woman he calls ‘the love of his life’, Jennifer Westfeldt, at a party and she asked him to audition for an unpaid part in her play. “Suffice to say, when Jen called with an actual acting opportunity, my days as a set dresser—all told, about a month— were over,” he told the magazine. Hamm then spent six months living on a friend’s couch while performing in the play. Westfeldt’s play eventually turned into the 2001 independent romantic comedy Kissing Jessica Stein, which became Hamm’s second film role. Looking past his charmed second act and smoldering performances on the silver screen, he is above all a self-examined survivor — from coming to terms with the childhood loss of both his parents and the abrupt end of an 18-year relationship with Westfeldt. We could all take a page from Hamm’s book on loss, love, the meaning and magnitude of revival at 50. The enigmatic Piscean reached a half-century this past March 10th, and he seems more philosophical and full of grace on this auspicious birthday. He’s opening up more, his recent performances and Zoom appearances show us a raw effervescence that has won the admiration of his industry. Hamm spoke to NewsRadio 1120 about his celebration at home with girlfriend Anna Osceola. “I remember when I turned 30. It was fun. I was just on my way to becoming an actor,” he recalled. “I was surrounded by friends. 40, I had a big celebration with a lot of famous people. 50 was like, I was here, at home. I had friends come through. It was the middle of the pandemic.” The actor continued, “I was with my girlfriend and her family. And I was like, ‘this is perfect. This is exactly where I need to be. I couldn’t be happier.’ It was the best birthday I’ve ever had. Do I feel old? No. I feel comfortable and happy and it’s a good feeling.” At the end of the day, the only thing you need to know about Hamm is that he recently adopted a rescue dog that was returned to the shelter twice for “an abundance of puppy energy.” He’s clearly willing to put the work in. We have a feeling Jon Hamm’s third act may be his best yet.
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“THE WAY WE DRIVE, THE WAY WE HANDLE A WHEEL, IT’S A REFLECTION OF WHAT’S DIRECTLY ON OUR MIND. DRIVING WHILE SPENT AND CRANKY... OR DRIVING WHILE FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, QUITE RADICALLY DIFFERENT SENSATIONS.”
Mercedes-Benz Ambassador Jon Hamm with the AMG GT C Edition 50 - Photo by Jensen Larson
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Altitude // Inspire
BEGIN BY DEFINING WHAT INSPIRES YOU
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BY DR. JOHN DEMARTINI
o you perceive that you’re living in the shadows of others? Or that you’re so busy trying to live the life that you think you “should” or “ought to” be living that you haven’t really thought about living a life that truly inspires you? Read on as I share more on how you can create a life that is your masterpiece—a oneof-a-kind, never to be duplicated or repeated life that is truly inspiring and meaningful to you while leaving an indelible mark on the world.
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We’re not here to live in the shadows of others. I had the opportunity to meet with a gentleman who’s a worldrenowned painter who I commissioned to do a painting for me. It was a real honor to watch him at work and quite fascinating, too, because he would enter into a zone where I don’t think he was anywhere but in the painting. He was so present, clear and certain about what he was painting because he could already see the finished product in his mind’s eye. What he created was nothing short of a masterpiece. I had another opportunity to see a true master at work many years ago in Mexico when my students and I came across a place where the famous black pottery had been made by the Rosa family for nearly a century. I will never forget watching Mr. Rosa create the most exceptional pottery from mud that he had scraped off the ground, adding water to it until it was the perfect consistency, spinning it on reversed coconut shells and imprinting designs with his fingernails—all while keeping his
eyes closed. I remember having tears in my eyes as I realized that I was in the presence of a master who was creating a masterpiece—a master who saw a vision of the end product so clearly in his mind’s eye and then let his body create it. Your forebrain versus your hindbrain. I love studying the brain and find it inspiring to see how different areas of the brain react. Two key portions of the brain include the hindbrain and the forebrain. Your hindbrain coordinates functions that are fundamental to survival—respiratory rhythm, motor activity, wakefulness, reaction, hindsight and impulsive and instinctual behavior. The hindbrain is extrinsic; it responds to external sources. Your forebrain (the cerebrum, in particular) is where most of the important brain functions happen—thinking, planning, reasoning and language processing. This is the part of the brain that has advanced foresight capacity. It enables an individual to see something in their mind’s eye ahead of time and create it as a masterpiece. The forebrain is intrinsic; it is driven from within. If you would love to make your life a masterpiece, you will learn to manage your emotions. Warren Buffet once said, “Until you can control your emotions, don’t expect to manage your money.” Robert Greene, in “48 Laws of Power,” shares his view that the single greatest barrier to power or leadership is not knowing how to overrule and govern your emotions.
So, until you are able to transcend, govern and neutralize your emotions so that they no longer dominate your life, don’t expect to live masterfully. How does this apply to creating a life that is your masterpiece? The executive area of the brain, the forebrain, is known for a number of capacities. It has connections to many different areas of the brain. This means that you have access to a potentially infinite supply of possibilities in your brain, instead of being limited to what you are seeing with the receptors of your eyes. So, instead of just receiving and perceiving what is in front of you, you can close your eyes and you can associate anything to it. The area of the brain that is activated as a result is where you have original and creative thinking. In other words, you have the capacity to have the greatest inspired vision when you are functioning from your forebrain, which occurs when you live in accordance with your highest values or live by priority. I’ve been teaching the “Breakthrough Experience,” one of my signature seminar programs, for 32 years now. What is interesting is that whenever I see somebody asking the right questions, transcending emotions, balancing out their perceptions and watching their executive center come online, all of a sudden they get a tear in their eye and they look up and you can see them seeing a new possibility. They suddenly receive an unborrowed vision.
“The single greatest barrier to power or leadership is not knowing how to overrule and govern your emotions.” It happens once their forebrain comes online. The moment you are consciously living according to your true highest values, living congruently, living by priority, and living objectively, centered and present, your executive center lights up and you will tend to have inspired vision. It is certainly wise to determine what your true and unique highest values are. Please go to drdemartini.com/values to do the FREE Demartini Value Determination Process, if you haven’t done so already. I was blessed when I was 17 years old to have learned from a great teacher. The night I met this man I had one of those epiphany moments and I saw a vision of what I wanted to do, which was (and still is) to
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Altitude // Inspire learn, travel and teach. It was so lucid and so clear that I later had it painted by a famous painter and it now sits in my office as a reminder of my primary mission and vision. Once you have that clarity and keep your mind focused on your vision, it will allow you to incrementally refine your actions and build incremental momentum in the achievement of that vision. That is how you make your life a masterpiece—by clearly defining what inspires you. Every year, I teach a program called “Master Planning for Life.” The whole purpose of this program is to start designing your own unique master plan—almost like an architect’s blueprint. It’s astounding to me that people will plan a trip or plan a house renovation but will very rarely plan their life. As a result, many people end up living by duty, by what they think they “should be” doing, “ought to be” doing, or are “supposed to be” doing, according to an external source and not an internal one. They will often tend to conform and subordinate to the world around them in an attempt to fit into the herd and not feel banished or abolished. However, the master is not the one that is the follower. The master is the unborrowed visionary—one who comes up with an original creation drawn from his or her own experiences and associations. That is the vision they follow—an intrinsic and not extrinsic vision, one that is generated in their forebrain and not by their hindbrain. Your vitality in life is directly proportional to the vividness of that vision. By prioritizing your life, staying focused on your highest priorities and delegating lower priority actions, you are more able to delegate and release yourself from things that self-depreciate you, scatter you and distract you. These reactions put you straight into the amygdala part of the hindbrain, which is impulsive and instinctual. “Impulsive” means seeking things for pleasure and “instinctual” means avoiding pain, which are the two forms of distractions that divert your mind from being present and certain as a masterpiece creator. However, the moment you prioritize and stay focused and centered on a clear vision, the strategic planning center in your forebrain is able to discern what it needs to create what it envisions.
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POINTS TO PONDER: • You are not here to live in the shadows of anyone. • You are here to stand on the shoulders of all giants who have demonstrated the exemplary status of positioning themselves in the zone where they are in tune, on target and on track with what is really, truly inspiring and meaningful to them. • You deserve to live an inspired life. • You deserve to have a life that is a masterpiece. • You deserve to have a meaningful and fulfilling life. • It would be wise to allow yourself to be first at being you. You are here to make your life a masterpiece.
Altitude // Inspire I love sharing details of how the pulvinar nuclei in the thalamus (forebrain) act as a filtering and gating mechanism that filters all the various possibilities and allows you to extract the highest priority observations and sensations that allow you to create the wisest decisions. In other words, you have the highest level of awareness and potential when you live by your highest values and filter out all the extraneous things that distract you from achieving your vision. In doing so, you are more likely to refine your vision, look at the consequences that various decisions might have, mitigate any potential risks and develop a clear plan of action. This will enable you to design a master plan to create the masterpiece that is your life. Another key aspect of the executive center is spontaneous action. When you live by your highest value, you tend to spontaneously act towards doing it. For example, I spontaneously do my research every day. I don’t have to be reminded to do it. If you need to be reminded to do what you say is important, what you say is important isn’t important. In other words, you will tend not to sit and wonder about it or doubt it. Instead, you will tend to just take action because you can see it so clearly in your mind’s eye. In the “Breakthrough Experience,” I help people create a “Love List” where they get to write down what they would love to create in their life. What is interesting to observe is that when people are really in the executive center of their forebrain, their writing becomes almost automatic where they don’t need to think about it or edit it—they just write fluently. The degree of fluency you have in your life is based on the congruency you have. When you set a goal that is congruent with your highest values, you are most likely to have fluency of expression, fluency of thought, fluency of action and fluency of speech. The moment you write a “Love List” of what is truly inspiring and that represents your highest value that you see clearly in your forebrain, Dr. John Demartini is a human behavior specialist, a polymath, philosopher, international speaker and published author. He has recently received the IAOTP Top Human Behavior Specialist of the Year award as well as the IAOTP Lifetime Achievement Award. His work is a summation of over 299 different disciplines synthesized from the greatest minds in most fields of study today. His extensive curriculum focuses on helping purpose-driven individuals master their lives so that they are able to more extensively serve humanity with their inspired vision and mission.
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you are likely to not be able to write fast enough because it will flow so quickly. You may also have tears of inspiration and gratitude because you finally have clarity about what you would love to do. And when you do it, you will tend to spontaneously act because you can’t wait to get started on it. When you are in your forebrain and acting on your vision and mission, time is transcended and has a new meaning. I’m certain that you have those days where time seems to disappear because you have been so present and focused. When you extract out space and time from your mind and become present in an inspired focus and clear vision, and you can articulate in your mind’s eye what you are seeing, that is when you are most likely to be on your highest value and masterpiece path. It’s almost impossible to be in that state without creating a masterpiece out of your life. Why? Because you tend to expand your space and time horizons and create goals that are beyond your life. This is when you are most likely to create legacies. It’s also almost impossible for the people around you not to notice you, because you exemplify what is possible. So, whoever walks the path of the master, lives congruently, and is willing to go after a vision that is unborrowed, will automatically give permission for other people in a chain reaction to do the same. The key to creating your own masterpiece is giving yourself permission to be the authentic you, and not distracting yourself about how you “should be,” “ought to be,” “supposed to be,” “got to be,” “have to be,” “need to be” and “must be,” according to those living in mediocrity.
Final Descent // Film
Dillon and Altruda during the filming of El Gran Fellove
Dillon filming Francisco Fellove
Francisco Fellove and Joey Altruda
Joey Altruda, Juan García Esquivel, & Matt Dillon
MATT DILLON AND JOEY ALTRUDA’S MOVING DOCUMENTARY EL GRAN FELLOVE ILLUMINATES A LOST LEGEND BY SI SI PENALOZA // PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACOBO BRAUN
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l Gran Fellove, a new documentary feature from actor and filmmaker Matt Dillon, follows the musical career of Cuban scat singer and showman Francisco Fellove and the recording of his final album. An artful series of interviews draw out rich details, revelations both bombastically big to achingly sweet and small. Archival photos and videos flush out the mise en scene of the era, supported well by Dillon’s own footage. A ravishing portrait of Fellove’s life as a struggling musician in Cuba, his eventual success in Mexico, and the contagious passion he had for performing. The film opens with Dillon revealing his early obsession for digging through crates of LPs, having fallen down the rabbit hole of Cuban vinyl on a 1993 trip to Havana. The genesis of the film starts in 1999, when LA bandleader impresario Joey Altruda goes looking for Fellove to float the idea of making a record with the long-lost legend. “Matt and I initially bonded as record collectors in the pre-Internet era, hunting together in all kinds of places,” recalls Altruda on our call. The two friends collaborated on the new documentary and had spent hours riffing and spinning rare Fellove. Dillon was the natural choice to come along for this wild ride. They tracked the then 77-year-old ex-pat to Mexico City, finding him remarkably sprightly. Fellove was so spry, the virtuoso proved tricky to document on film because he seemed constantly in motion.
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Indeed, Joey Altruda is one of music’s best kept secrets, a musical excavator who has collaborated with aging, venerable artists to preserve culture and legacy through reinvention of music. He’s a hidden gem who has worked with enigmatic musicians of the old school generation saxophonist Roland Alphonso (who co-created The Skatalites), guitarist Ernest Ranglin (key figure in the pioneering of Ska and Reggae music starting in the late 1950s), Plas Johnson (saxophonist of The Wrecking Crew and Pink Panther Theme), El Gran Fellove, and most recently the pioneer of Brazil’s Tropicalia movement Tom Zé. I catch up with director Matt Dillon on a call while he’s taking a quick break from acting in a new film shooting on Vancouver Island. Dillon is more than primed to elaborate on the project he started more than two decades ago. “It was an incredibly personal experience, as Fellove had loomed so large in my imagination,” he begins. “Then you meet him and he ends up becoming larger than life, you see his humanity. You start to look at your own life, reflecting on the moments that made the difference. He was escaping difficulties with racism and the frustration of struggling as an artist. He had immediate success in Mexico; the act of expatriation was a catalyst, he was met with open arms by both the local music scene and an enthusiastic audience. Mexico City was a pivotal bridge for these artists, and I like how our film reveals this, bringing this aspect of history to light.”
Joey Altruda - Photo by Manfred Gestrich
Joey Altruda & Francisco Fellove
Sure, Fellove hadn’t recorded for 20 years, but the temptation of these young, fresh, energetic creatives chomping at the bit to jam in his orbit proved too delicious to resist. He took the bait of a studio session. “We held a casual jam session with Fellove and the musicians on the album in someone’s home as a way to get musically acquainted and find our groove as a rhythm section. This was my first musical encounter with Fellove and it was mind-blowing, especially one particular moment when he was practically speaking in musical tongues,” Altruda recalls vividly. “It was literal and visible what he did at that moment with his tongue. I thought I had imagined it at first but afterward my friend Nicole said, ‘Did you see that crazy thing he did with his tongue?!’ It’s hard to articulate but it was almost snakelike and the sound that came forth was like nothing I’d ever heard before.” Such sessions run throughout the film, swelling with sonic euphoria and robust collaborative energy. The scat singing veteran seemed to thrive on being “rediscovered” by this next generation. As a director, Dillon seems more interested in the psychological portraiture of a musician who left his native Cuba in the 1950s, to later reinvent himself in Mexico as an idiosyncratic vocal stylist. “What I learned in making this film is that when you lead with emotion, this is your most meaningful compass,” Dillon reveals. “Emotion first, information second. Once you can connect with the people you are featuring as subjects, the audience can connect with them and absorb information in a gratifying way because they are emotionally invested.” Fascinated by Altruda’s memories of that time, I ask what is it about Fellove’s soulful vocals that stir such seismic, visceral emotions in him. “He sings truth, no matter what style he’s doing,” he replies. “You really
Matt Dillon filming circa 1992
Zoot Suit Fellove
“What I learned in making this film is that when you lead with emotion, this is your most meaningful compass.” - Matt Dillon
hear it in his Boleros; you can feel it deep down in the gut.” No stranger to recording with “the greats”, Altruda put his whole heart into the jams. Over 35 years, Altruda has worked with the likes of Seu Jorge, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Bo Diddley, Tom Waits, and Joe Strummer just to start. This provocative chronicle of exile and full-circle reunion will be irresistible to Afro-Cuban aficionados and Latin scat fans. An irrepressible character when it comes to stage work, the period footage of Fellove in his 1950s prime gives us a rare glimpse into this full-on showman in all his glory. Dillon recalls the sessions much the same way, saying, “Fellove taught me by example, watching him was what was beautiful. The freedom, and effortless way he would create lasting moments in front of audiences and in studio. When he was at his best was when he didn’t try.” Dillon was most struck by Fellove’s natural gift of expression. Revisiting his own emergence as an artist he reflects, “I came up as an actor at a very young age, and what we valued was that elusive Fellove factor— absolute spontaneity. The most coveted element of performance for an actor is the freedom to improvise. Recognizing this in Fellove was no different for me than recognizing it in someone like Marlon Brando or James Dean. Those actors influenced me as I honed my approach to the creative process. Fellove had it in spades when it came to music.”
Francisco Fellove performing
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Final Descent // Profile
“D
ream it, visualize it, and practice relentlessly to get there.” These are the words Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers lives by. These are the actions that have launched him to elite football status. In 2011, he led his team to the ultimate victory securing the coveted Super Bowl diamond-encrusted ring that many legendary QBs in the sport never get a chance to wear. A decade later, he is still setting records and playing at an MVP level (he was voted 2020 AP MVP by a lofty margin). Charming and likeable yet fiercely determined, Rodgers sets out every day to play at the highest level always pushing boundaries and inspiring young hopefuls to reach for the stars. “My game is about subtle movements in the pocket; left, right, feet off the ground, performing at my best, over and over again.” In football, a quarterback’s job is all about timing, speed, and precision. Which might be why Swiss watch manufacturer Zenith chose him to be their newest brand ambassador. “After so many years of the absolute best quality in watchmaking and timepieces, how do you reinvent yourself? I think that’s the beauty in aligning ourselves — is we’re both super motivated with new challenges,” explains Rodgers.
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Zenith continues to elevate the art of watchmaking with the Chronomaster Sport, where cutting-edge design elements are paired with innovative materials, like the latest generation of the El Primero column-wheel chronograph caliber that’s able to measure and display 1/10th of a second. Like Rodgers, this watch is built for speed and precision and crafted with allure and fortitude
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Final Descent // Space Travel
TRAVELING WITH SPACE PERSPECTIVE BY LESLIE K. HUGHES
t
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ravel is reaching new heights, literally. In just a few years’ time, tourism will no longer be limited to the Earth. Instead, you could be hopping on a high-tech balloon that will take you to the edge of space. While this sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, it is a fantasy that spaceflight startup Space Perspective is bringing to reality. And the company is doing so in a unique way. Rather than using rockets to reach these new heights (like other companies are doing), Space Perspective is using a balloon to take tourists 100,000 feet into the air -- a balloon that is the size of a football stadium. The concept of balloons in space is not new to the scene -scientists have been using balloons to explore the Earth’s atmosphere since the 1930s. However, Space Perspective has upgraded and updated the concept of a balloon as a vehicle to travel into space, and this way of travel means a much smoother experience for passengers. Rather than the G-forces that occur with a rocket launch, Space Perspective’s spaceship Neptune will smoothly ascend into the sky and descend back to Earth, with a comfortable and unforgettable trip the entire way.
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Neptune will feature a bar, bathrooms, and plush reclining chairs to create the ultimate luxury experience, not to mention it will feature views that you never dreamed you would see. The journey will start before sunrise, so passengers will be traveling up to space in the dark sky with a view of the stars that only a select few have been lucky enough to see. If that’s not enough, just wait until sunrise hits. The view of watching the sun come up over the curvature of the Earth will give passengers the best view of their lives. From start to finish, the Space Perspective experience lasts 6 hours and ends by splashing into the waters off the coast of Florida, where Neptune and its passengers will be picked up by a ship. The price tag for this epic journey has not been labeled yet, but co-founders Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum estimate it may be around $125,000 per person. While this sounds like a hefty price, it is significantly less than competitors in space tourism who are looking at selling tickets on their rockets and planes for $250,000 per person. Space Perspective plans to send Neptune into the sky for a test flight in early 2021 and send passengers on their first trip in 2024. thespaceperspective.com
Liz Leeds
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Buyer’s // Time TakeoffGuide // Explore
Explore the Deep Sea in Style by Anne-Marie Pritchett
M
ore than eighty percent of the world’s ocean is uncharted and unexplored. As the National Ocean Service observes the vast underwater realm through sonar technology, hydrographic surveys and manned expeditions, deeper waters remain a mystery, as oceanographers have mapped just five percent of its floor. Luxury submarine manufacturers are stepping in to help with site survey while also creating opportunities for personal exploration travel. Now comes the introduction of a new generation of completely customizable, deep-diving submersibles available to the elite with support vessels (superyachts) and those who want an up-front view of underwater landscapes and marine life that most people will only see in pictures and on film.
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U-Boat Worx Submersibles
For Research, Media Production and Adventure Tourism One of the key players in the global Private Submarines market, U-Boat Worx creates handcrafted submarines flexible for a range of applications—from adventure tourism to media production to scientific research. The Dutch manufacturer is the largest of its kind and the first to produce a full range of submersibles. There are currently five series in production. The C-Researcher series has eight models that take scientists, researchers, documentary makers and explorers to depths of up to 9840 feet (3000 m) and offers unimpeded views out of an acrylic dome. With a new Pressure-Tolerant Lithium-ion battery system, mission times are extended to 18 hours. The Super Yacht Sub 3 series is the most compact private submarine available and aimed at superyacht owners. The Cruise Sub series offers cruise liners and high-end tourism operators the greatest available seat capacity of the U-Boat Worx models and can dive as deep as 5570 feet (1700 m). The Hiper Sub series is a high-performance sports machine that can go as deep as 330 feet (100 m) and travel up to six knots performing tricks like a fighter jet.
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Buyer’s // Time TakeoffGuide // Explore
Neyk Submarine
Neyk Submarines
Turning Fantasy Into Reality
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The 63-foot pressurized Neyk submarine has been touted as a ‘subaquatic luxury jet’ capable of carrying up to 20 passengers in a customizable airplane-style cabin. Ocean Submarine has teamed up with Rolls-Royce, MTU and Bosch to craft a one-of-a-kind underwater luxury vessel with high-end technologies and maximum comfort to take passengers to great oceanic depths. Built to both Royal Netherlands Navy and NASA specs, the Neyk is capable of speeds of 15 knots and depths of 500 feet (152 m). A large dome at the bow allows for one of the best views in the industry. The luxe interior is outfitted with a full galley, bar and library. The Neyk submersible is powered by twin electric motors and has the lowest possible noise profile in a sub. With built-in landing gear, the sub is able to traverse land and sea.
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Neyk Submarine
OceanGate: Titan Submersible
OceanGate: Titan (formerly Cyclops 2) For Charter and Exploration Travel
In a great effort to expand access to the deep ocean, OceanGate has developed the world’s only five-person submersible capable of reaching depths of over 13,000 feet (4,000 m). Titan (formerly Cyclops 2) is a privately built carbon-fiber cylindrical white pod with a cylindrical view window. The submersible was designed to carry researchers and exploration enthusiasts to a most renowned destination in the North Atlantic Ocean: the RMS Titanic. With the largest viewport of any deep-diving submersible, this underwater vehicle will allow access to fifty percent of the ocean for human observation. One innovation that sets Titan apart is its Real-Time Hull Health Monitoring (RTM) System that analyzes the effect of changing pressure on the vessel as it descends.
SEAmagine’s AURORA-3C
Aston Martin and Triton: Project Neptune
SEAmagine: Aurora
Triton Submarines: Project Neptune
California-based SEAmagine Hydrospace Corporation designs and manufactures personal submarines and submersibles for professionals and private superyachts. The AURORA-3C is a compact, lightweight three-person model (two passengers, one pilot) that reaches depts of 1500 feet (457 m), while the six-person model can go as deep as 3280 feet (1000 m) and offers a larger cabin with a private restroom in the back hull. Horizontal entry points with secure walking decks provide for safe boarding from yachts, while the field of view is enhanced as the access hatch is behind the main cabin. The AURORA series of personal submersibles have a maximum speed of three knots and include seven LED flood and spotlights along with cutting-edge underwater HD camera systems to expand the understanding and enjoyment of the ocean environment.
When the performance, beauty and elegance of an Aston Martin vehicle meets the safe, reliable, hydrodynamic efficiency of a Triton submersible, magic happens. Project Neptune is very real as the collaboration has conceptualized the sleekest, most lavish design in its class leading to the exclusive limited-edition vehicle. Project Neptune will be capable of descending to 1640 feet (500 m) at top speeds of five knots. While the joint development of the acrylic canopy and iridium coating are unique exterior features, the luxurious interior has a congruous aesthetic of hand-stitched leather and high-performance carbon fiber that is quintessentially Aston Martin. And with Triton’s famed unobstructed panoramic sightlines and hydrodynamic efficiency, the Project Neptune design reflects the high standards of each company.
Submersibles for Professionals and Private Yachts
In Collaboration with Aston Martin
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T H E F O R M U L A 5 0 0 S U P E R S P O R T C R O S S O V E R is your newest and best choice for taking a time out on the water! Finally, a fifty-foot answer to your private escape with family and friends, combining a commanding offshore ride with unprecedented amenities and luxury. The 500 SSC offers the Formula Crossover heritage of a wide-open, single-level bowrider inviting open station-to-station wandering. From the enclosed coupe-top salon to the aft lounge bar, the 500 SSC is a true evolution and culmination of the Formula SmartZone™ concept. From the full bow lounge forward to the expansive extended swim platform aft, you will find air-conditioned comfort, entertainment and innovation. A full-width motorized glass salon bulkhead allows you to choose your degree of separation or shared fun with the aft cockpit lounges and bar areas. The 500 SSC amenities below offer a respite from the outside world with a true cabin experience. A complete galley at the cabin entry stairs, the large convertible U-lounge forward, a head with Corian surfacing, vanity sink and spacious shower create a residential feel. Slip aft to the separate stateroom with queen-size berth, sofa and complete entertainment suite.
The proven, surefooted double-step FAS3Tech® hull will take your complement of guests to dinner across the bay or on far-flung offshore journeys in speed and comfort with the confidence and might of the revolutionary all-new quad Mercury V12, 600 horsepower Verado outboards. The horizons are limitless in your 500 Super Sport Crossover!
2200 West Monroe St. • PO Box 1003 • Decatur, IN 46733 • 260-724-9111
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MON I TOR’S R E ST: T H E U LT I M AT E MOU N TA I N R ET R EAT
Presenting ‘‘Monitor’s Rest”, nestled into the mountainside at the base of Monitor Bowl, designed to be the finest expression of mountain living in The West. Conceived by the award-winning team of Iluminus Group Development, CLB Architects, Design Workshop, Delos, Orsman Design, and Magleby Estate Homes, ‘Monitor’s Rest’ sets the new standard for a true legacy-quality modern compound on 5 ski-in/ski-out acres in the exclusive gated enclave of The Colony at White Pine Canyon. The timeless architecture offers world-class amenities paired with the finest materials and craftsmanship, combined with an innovative and cohesive layout for a seamless f low throughout 18,500 square feet of living space. Step inside and experience the premier wellness ecosystem for residences. DARWIN, by Delos, utilizes sophisticated wellness algorithms and sensor technologies to create spaces that help reduce stress, improve sleep quality, increase performance and enhance overall well-being. Landing in your G650 private jet at Heber Valley Airport you are only 25 minutes from your secluded mountain retreat. (35 minutes from SLC Airport.)
Imagine the serenity of a home that wakes you up naturally
without an alarm clock with lighting that is constantly adjusted to the circadian rhythm of your body. You breathe deeply, the air is constantly purified and filtered, removing all impurities, allergens and viruses. Your lungs are filled with the purest air possible and your mind and body are at ease. You brush your teeth with the finest filtered water using the most sophisticated filtration system available, removing all impurities and contaminants. You start your day with the confidence that your home is actually helping you achieve your best health. Step into your Michelin-caliber chef’s kitchen featuring a custom cooking suite by Marrone of Italy, a WoodStone pizza oven, and every culinary luxury imaginable. You or your Chef can prepare unforgettable meals for your friends and family. After dinner, entertain your guests in the gracious main level club room with full bar, billiards and ping pong tables, a floating fireplace, and massive motor-
ized retractable walls of floor-to-ceiling glass windows supplied by Thermally Broken Steel USA. Winter or summer, dive into your 60’ indoor/outdoor stainless steel pool. This exceptional residence was designed around a comprehensive suite of amenities featuring a wellness spa with a world-class gym, Himalayan salt room, cold plunge pool, hot tub, hammam, ice fountain, infrared sauna, massage room, indoor sports court with volleyball / basketball / pickleball / climbing wall, golf simulator, bowling alley, a versatile living/media room, a panoramic tower situated above the trees to take-in the breathtaking views and much more.
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PAU L B E N S O N 4 3 5 - 6 4 0 -74 41
PAU L B E N S O N . E V R E A L E S TAT E .C O M
Paul Benson - Engel & Völkers
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Foundry Michelangelo Presents
Heroic Sculpture & Monuments The source for the world’s greatest fine art masterpieces
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World Class Monumental Masterpieces, Uncompromising in Detail and Finish
Life-Size bronze mountain lion
24 foot bronze battling elk
10 foot bronze grizzly bear
14 foot bronze lion
Life-Size bronze grizzly bear
10 foot clay original stallion
Life-Size bronze jaguar and panther
World’s largest 18 foot clay original bear Life-Size clay original bull Life-Size Megalodon jaw set
World’s largest bronze eagle (40 feet)
World’s largest elephant clay original
Life-Size bronze elk
Custom commissions upon request. Proudly created and cast in the U.S.A. For Fine Art inquiries contact: Mark Russo (503) 705-0316
For Pre-IPO Investment Opportunities Contact: Michael Sheppard (615) 400-1099
808 SE Commerce Ave, #120, Battle Ground, WA 98604
Tel: (503) 705-0316
www.foundrymichelangelo.com
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FBOs | Aircraft Maintenance | Aircraft Management | Private Jet Charter San Luis Obispo, CA | Orange County, CA | Paso Robles, CA
Experience what it’s like to live without limits. (805) 782-9722 | info@acijet.com | www.acijet.com
THE GULFSTREAM DIFFERENCE Your mission is our inspiration. Every investment we make—in advanced technology, precision manufacturing and worldwide customer support—is an investment in you.